tiki barber traci lynn johnson
Tiki Barber and Traci Lynn Johnson arrive at the New York premiere of "Bully" in 2012. With Teresa Giudice in prison, Bravo is reportedly considering signing Johnson on as her replacement in "The Real Housewives of New Jersey's" seventh season. Reuters

Former NFL player Tiki Barber's wife, Traci Lynn Johnson, may be headed to “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” With controversial cast member Teresa Giudice behind bars and newcomers Teresa Aprea, Nicole Napolitano, and Amber Marchese potentially getting the ax, Bravo may be seeking some fresh faces to head up the popular reality TV franchise. It was initially reported that producers planned to wait until Giudice was released from prison to move forward with filming, however new information suggests otherwise.

The New York Daily News claims producers are hoping to keep their options open. They have decided to move ahead with production and casting rather than ride out Giudice's lengthy sentence.

“They don't know where it stands with Teresa doing the show or when she's getting out,” an insider told The Daily News. “So they're prepping for either way. Anyway, they need to shake up the cast – last season's cast was terrible.”

In that case, Johnson may be a great fit for the show. The 28-year-old, who is currently pregnant, found herself the subject of controversy after having an affair with Barber in 2010. At the time of the affair, she was a 23-year-old intern at NBC. Barber left his pregnant wife Ginny, marrying Traci Lynn Johnson in 2012. That coupled with her “big, over-the-top personality” should make for great TV.

There are no further reports on who else may or may not appear on the series. It remains unclear if Barber would participate in the show, should his wife be cast. Neither Bravo nor Johnson's reps have commented on the rumors. Radar Online reports that filming “has been loosely scheduled for late April, early May.”