C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Texans Sign DB Jalen Mills

August 10th, 2025 at 8:07am CST by Rory Parks

The Texans have signed veteran defensive back Jalen Mills, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Houston brought Mills in for a workout last week, and with some uncertainty surrounding several members of its safety depth chart, the club has found an experienced reinforcement.

Mills, 31, entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Eagles in 2016, and he spent most of his first few seasons in the league at cornerback. In 2020, however, Philadelphia moved him all over the secondary, and he turned in one of the best seasons of his career (74 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, 68.9 Pro Football Focus grade). That performance earned him a four-year, $24MM deal from the Patriots in 2021.

New England deployed him primarily as a cornerback over his first two years in Foxborough, but after the team cut and re-signed him in 2023, he was utilized more as a safety. As of last offseason, he was no longer in the club’s plans, and when a Giants contract failed to produce a roster spot in 2024, he caught on with the Jets’ taxi squad. He ultimately appeared in nine games (eight starts) for Gang Green, spending most of his time at safety and recording 44 tackles and a pick.

Veteran C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was acquired via trade with the Eagles in March, recently suffered a knee injury in practice. He did not tear his ACL, as was initially feared, but it is unclear when he will return to the field. Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) said the injury was not a season-ender, and both ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via ESPN colleague DJ Bien-Aime) and Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.com indicated CJGJ could be available for Week 1 (with Wilson adding rest and rehab, or perhaps a PRP injection, could do the trick).

Fellow safety Jimmie Ward – who remains on the PUP list due to offseason foot surgery – is facing a felony domestic violence charge. His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. And as Wilson observes in a separate piece, rookie safety Jaylen Reed is dealing with an ankle injury and is expected to miss about three weeks.

The Texans were clearly in need of some cover at the safety position, and Mills, a Super Bowl champion and veteran of 115 NFL appearances (including 91 starts), will at least help the club get through the rest of camp and the preseason schedule. The Dallas native’s spot on the roster is hardly assured, but it would not be surprising to see him stick around as tested and versatile depth.

Texans’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson Avoids ACL Tear

August 7th, 2025 at 7:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

A cart transported C.J. Gardner-Johnson off the practice field Thursday, and the Texans expressed a fear the trade acquisition suffered a serious injury. That said, conflicting reports surfaced regarding Gardner-Johnson’s 2025 status.

One report (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) indicated the recently acquired safety suffered an ACL tear. Another (from Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz) pointed to the team fearing a tear. Minutes later, however, a source told Wilson the new Houston safety did not suffer a tear. While Schultz indicated tests were ongoing, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport confirmed more encouraging news by indicating tests are showing Gardner-Johnson, in fact, did not suffer a tear. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Texans are no longer concerned about Gardner-Johnson’s ACL, as tests are now being conducted to determine what the lesser injury is.

While “team fears” reports can occasionally lead to sighs of relief — as the Cowboys’ Tyler Guyton situation recently showed — they regularly lead to full-season absences. The Texans appear to have dodged a bullet.

Houston acquired Gardner-Johnson in a trade with Philadelphia in March, sending disappointing first-round guard Kenyon Green to the defending Super Bowl champions for a player who started in both the Eagles’ past two Super Bowl seasons. The Texans threw in a fifth-round pick in a swap that brought back a sixth, but they were landing the more established (by far) player in this trade.

Two seasons remain on the contract Gardner-Johnson signed with the Eagles last year, but a major injury would stand to reshape his Texans outlook. Gardner-Johnson, 27, has a history with season-reshaping injuries, having sustained a torn pectoral muscle in September 2023. That kept him off the field for most of his Lions tenure. If Gardner-Johnson avoided an ACL tear this time around, it will be interesting to learn how long he will be out.

This offseason brought a fourth straight relocation for the trash-talking ace. The Eagles obtained him from the Saints via trade in August 2022, and he joined the Lions as a free agent the following March. The Eagles prioritized CJGJ in 2024, bringing him back to start in Vic Fangio‘s defense, but changed their thinking as raises elsewhere on the roster came due. Gardner-Johnson. who intercepted six passes as an Eagle in 2022 and ’24, joined a safety corps housing Jimmie Ward and Calen Bullock.

That duo would have provided cover for the Texans, and it may still be necessary if Gardner-Johnson is to miss regular-season time, but Ward was arrested on a family violence charge this summer. Ward has an August 13 court date set, and the longtime 49ers DB is still on the Texans’ active/PUP list.

No PUP-list stay would come for Gardner-Johnson, who could only be shifted to IR in the event the Texans were worried about a long-term regular-season absence. The team could carry CJGJ over to its 53-man roster and hold an IR activation for him or use one of its two summer IR-return moves on him, burning one of its eight in-season activations in preparation of a return.

Texans’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson Was Informed By Eagles Of Decision To Move On

July 17th, 2025 at 9:48am CST by Adam La Rose

C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s return to the Eagles lasted only one season. After helping Philadelphia win the Super Bowl in 2024, the veteran safety was traded to the Texans in a deal which included guard Kenyon Green changing teams and Day 3 picks being swapped.

The move came as a surprise to Gardner-Johnson, who has two years remaining on his contract. Finances were cited by the Eagles as the reason for the trade, with the team extending a number of key members from the 2024 squad on more lucrative pacts while preparing future big-money moves. Gardner-Johnson took issue with that assessment last month, offering a partial explanation for the move from his perspective. The 27-year-old spoke in greater detail during an appearance on The Pivot podcast (video link).

“Scared of a competitor,” Gardner-Johnson said of the Eagles when reflecting on his second stint with the team (one which ended when, as he recalled, general manager Howie Roseman told him he would be released or traded at the outset of free agency). “Simple as that… You can’t program a dawg.”

The former fourth-rounder led the NFL with six interceptions in 2022, his first Philadelphia campaign. Gardner-Johnson departed in free agency on a one-year Lions deal, but he returned to the Eagles last spring. Despite being limited to three contests with Detroit due to injury, the Florida product landed a $27MM commitment from Philadelphia and delivered on the expectations that contract entailed. Gardner-Johnson again notched six picks during the regular season and remained a full-time starter through the team’s championship run. The differences in the way his actions amongst teammates were handled by coaches and management staff proved to be an issue, however.

“You want me to be a leader and outspoken but then you want me to sit back,” Gardner-Johnson added. “There’s nowhere been a locker room where I had a single issue with a teammate.”

In Houston, a fresh start will provide Gardner-Johnson with the opportunity to play on a contending team, something he requested upon finding out from Roseman he would be dealt. The Texans have been busy this offseason in an attempt to join the AFC’s elite. Strong play from Gardner-Johnson and the team’s secondary will be key in that effort, and it will be interesting to see if he can play his way into a long-term stay in Houston.

Texans S C.J. Gardner-Johnson Addresses Eagles Departure

June 7th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

2025 will mark the fourth different team C.J. Gardner-Johnson plays for in his seventh NFL season. The journeyman safety delivered another productive campaign during his second Eagles stint, one which would up lasting only one year.

Despite posting six interceptions and 12 pass deflections en route to helping Philadelphia win the Super Bowl, Gardner-Johnson was traded in March. The Texans acquired him in a deal which saw guard Kenyon Green head the other way with a swap of Day 3 picks also taking place. Finances have been cited on multiple occasions as the key reason why Philadelphia moved forward with the trade.

General manager Howie Roseman noted how several players set to return from the 2024 team are attached to big-ticket contracts. The likes of running back Saquon Barkley and linebacker Zack Baun landed raises this offseason, and their new financial situations will obviously have salary cap implications. Roseman added that creating room for looming extensions which will keep recent draft picks in place was a factor in the decision to move on from Gardner-Johnson.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, meanwhile, recently noted the trade was a “salary cap thing” which he supported. Gardner-Johnson took to social media to offer a rebuke in that case. The 27-year-old has also taken issue with Roseman’s comments on the subject.

“It wasn’t about money,” Gardner-Johnson said (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). “If it was about money, everybody would have been gone. How can I say this? Saquon deserved it. Zack deserved it, but the reasons behind it, the fans don’t deserve the reason. It’s deeper than that.”

Gardner-Johnson is owed $8.5MM in 2025 and another $10.5MM the following year; especially considering his scheduled cap hit for the coming season ($4.91MM), keeping the former fourth-rounder in place for at least one more year would likely not have been challenging for the Eagles. Reed Blankenship will remain a safety starter in 2025, with Sydney Brown and second-round rookie Andrew Mukuba set to compete for a first-team role alongside him during training camp.

In Houston, Gardner-Johnson will be counted on to remain productive against the pass. His 18 career interceptions put him in a tie for eighth in the league since he entered the NFL. Expectations will be high once again for the Texans’ and Eagles’ defenses in 2025, and it will be interesting to see how Gardner-Johnson performs on his latest team and how Philadelphia fares in replacing him.

Eagles To Trade C.J. Gardner-Johnson To Texans For Kenyon Green

March 11th, 2025 at 11:08pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Texans’ efforts to renovate their offensive line continue. The team has a trade agreement in place to send guard Kenyon Green to the Eagles, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report. Houston is receiving defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson in return. In total, the swap consists of Green and a 2026 fifth-round pick in exchange for Gardner-Johnson and a sixth-rounder next year.

Houston swung a trade with the Commanders yesterday which will see left tackle Laremy Tunsil head to Washington. That move – coupled with the previous release of guard Shaq Mason – leaves the team with several question marks up front. Improving their pass protection was seen as a major priority for the Texans, and general manager Nick Caserio is making a slew of changes to the unit in the hopes of taking a step forward in 2025.

Gardner-Johnson, meanwhile, is entering his seventh year in the league and the Texans will mark his fourth team. The former Saints draftee was traded to the Eagles in 2022, and he played a key role in Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl with a league-leading six interceptions. Instead of parlaying his production into a lucrative second contract, tough, Gardner-Johnson took only a one-year deal with the Lions.

A one-and-done stint in Detroit was followed by a return to the Eagles, this time on a three-year, $27MM pact. Gardner-Johnson is owed $8.5MM in 2025 and another $10.5MM the following year, although his scheduled cap hit for the coming campaign ($4.91MM) was certainly manageable for the defending champions. This move will generate a dead money charge of $4.7MM for Philadelphia while resulting in just $211K in savings. The Texans will pay $1.5MM of Green’s $2.88MM 2025 base salary, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. That helped make a trade more palatable for the Eagles.

Gardner-Johnson again served as a full-time starter during his second Eagles stint, racking up six interceptions and 12 pass deflections. His eight touchdowns allowed in coverage could be a cause for concern for the Texans, but the 27-year-old will be counted on to serve as a playmaker in a Texans secondary which proved to be effective last year with the cornerback tandem of Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. Houston ranked sixth against the pass in 2024, and continued success in that department can be expected.

This move marks further changes in the Eagles’ secondary, meanwhile. Philadelphia has decided to release Darius Slay and James Bradberry, and on Monday fellow corner Isaiah Rodgers agreed to a deal with the Vikings. With Gardner-Johnson set to be on the move (the trade cannot be finalized until the new league year begins tomorrow, of course), Philadelphia will need to make a number of moves during the secondary waves of free agency and the draft to restock the defensive backfield.

Green entered the NFL with high expectations as a first-round pick. The Texas A&M product served as a full-time starter during his rookie campaign, but he was sidelined for the entire 2023 season due to a shoulder injury. Green returned to action this past year, logging nine starts and 12 appearances at left guard. Much like his rookie slate, though, his PFF evaluation left plenty to be desired. Green’s overall grade of 38.6 ranked second-last amongst qualifying guards.

Presuming the Eagles decline his fifth-year option, one year will remain on Green’s rookie contract. The soon-to-be 24-year-old will provide the team with a cost-effective option along the interior. Mekhi Becton upped his free agent value considerably as a guard starter in 2024, and his departure could allow for Green to compete for a first-team gig. At a minimum, he will be able to fill in as a spot-starter as needed on an otherwise expensive O-line.

Eagles Sign DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson

March 25th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Ben Levine

MARCH 25: The Eagles will guarantee Gardner-Johnson $10MM on this deal, 94WIP.com’s Eliot Shorr-Parks tweets. The team used void years through 2029 to spread out the cap hits.

MARCH 12: C.J. Gardner-Johnson is heading back to Philly. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that the veteran defensive back is signing with the Eagles.

The veteran is inking a three-year deal worth up to $33MM, according to Pelissero. Following a one-year stop in Detroit, Gardner-Johnson is now back with his former squad.

After getting traded by the Saints to the Eagles prior to the 2022 campaign, Gardner-Johnson proceeded to start 12 games for Philadelphia, missing a chunk of midseason games thanks to a lacerated kidney. Despite the absence, he finished the season with 67 tackles and a league-leading six interceptions. He also started each of the Eagles’ three playoff games, including a Super Bowl loss where he compiled four tackles.

That performance earned him a one-year, $8MM contract from the Lions last offseason. However, his lone season in Detroit was highlighted by injuries. He suffered a non-contact injury during training camp that was expected to wipe out his season, but the MRI provided a brighter outlook. Gardner-Johnson was able to return in time for the start of the regular season, but he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 that wiped out most of the campaign.

He got back to the field for the regular season finale, and he subsequently played in at least 50 percent of Detroit’s defensive snaps in each of their three playoff games. The 26-year-old still showed he had something left in the tank during the postseason, collecting 12 tackles and an interception.

The Eagles still have Darius Slay and James Bradberry atop their depth chart, but the team did lose some depth when they cut Avonte Maddox last week. Gardner-Johnson’s experience will likely provide him with a path to plenty of playing time as a backup or nickelback.

Titans Rumors: Ridley, Gardner-Johnson, Dillard

March 13th, 2024 at 11:05pm CST by Ely Allen

The Titans have yearned for a No. 1 wide receiver since they traded away A.J. Brown. Literally since that exact moment, when they used the draft pick they acquired in that trade to draft Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks in the hopes that he would take over. They had also traded for former Rams wide receiver Robert Woods in hopes that he would return from injury to the form of his best years in Los Angeles.

When neither of those moves worked out quite how the wished, Tennessee signed DeAndre Hopkins. While Hopkins certainly gave them a season worthy of a WR1, it became clear that that was not quite enough, that the team still had to get better around Hopkins. Enter Calvin Ridley.

The list of free agent wide receivers this year is expansive, but it is anything but lucrative. Some of the top options like Gabriel Davis and Darnell Mooney had already signed and other top options like Mike Williams, Michael Thomas, and Odell Beckham Jr. came with their own caveats. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Titans brass was focused on a singular goal: landing the best wide receiver available.

With the options out there, they set their sights on Ridley and their focus narrowed. The team reportedly put themselves in position to land Ridley starting last night, keeping in constant contact with Ridley and company. Not wanting to allow for anyone else to obtain their treasure, they made their move, offering what they knew would be the best deal that any team might offer the 29-year-old receiver. The rest is history, they landed their man, and he will be donning Titans blue in 2024.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Nashville:

With the Titans looking to add a defensive back to the roster, following the loss of Kevin Byard after his trade midseason, the name C.J. Gardner-Johnson has come up, per Adam Caplan at Pro Football Network. The veteran safety has some familiarity with the staff playing one of the best seasons of his career under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson when the two were both in Philadelphia. Gardner-Johnson missed nearly all of the 2023 campaign with a torn pectoral muscle, starting the first two games of the season and making a comeback for the playoffs, so he may even come at a slight discount.
While retaining that their plans could change, Caplan also reports that the Titans are currently expected to retain veteran left tackle Andre Dillard, who just finished the first year of his three-year, $29MM contract. Dillard started 10 games last year and was forced to the bench for six others. $6MM of his $9MM base salary for 2024 became fully guaranteed today and he will carry a $10.68MM cap hit for the season. Cutting him now would only save $2.88MM of cap space while leaving $7.79MM of dead money, while designating him a post-June 1 release could clear up $6.47MM of cap space, leaving the team with only $4.2MM of dead money. If he is retained, he would be assumed to start at left tackle, leaving Nicholas Petit-Frere and Jaelyn Duncan to battle for the right tackle job.

Eagles Expected To Make Move For Safety; C.J. Gardner-Johnson Back On Radar

March 8th, 2024 at 9:19am CST by Sam Robinson

During an offseason that centered around Jalen Hurts‘ extension, the Eagles cut costs at safety and linebacker. Both positions suffered due to the exits of Super Bowl LVII starters, and injuries played a major role at each spot. The team is planning to adjust its approach this year.

The Eagles, who released 2023 trade pickup Kevin Byard last week, are expected to make a significant addition at safety, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. The market is becoming crowded, with the Seahawks (Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs), Broncos (Justin Simmons) and Bills (Jordan Poyer) sending longtime DB pillars to street free agency.

One player who should be monitored here: C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Reports indicated the Eagles made an offer to the NFL’s 2022 co-INT leader last year, but Gardner-Johnson denied that happened. Regardless of how CJGJ exited last year, the Eagles pivoted to paying corners. Dominoes did not fall in Gardner-Johnson’s direction, as he accepted a one-year, $6.5MM Lions deal days later. The Eagles, however, realized they missed the versatile defender’s presence, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.

Philly ended up going with Byard and Reed Blankenship as its primary safeties down the stretch, and the team cratered following a 10-1 start. Rookie contributor Sydney Brown may well begin next season on the reserve/PUP list due to the ACL tear he suffered in the team’s regular-season finale. One year remains on Blankenship’s contract, though he was a backup in 2022 behind Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps. The latter signed a two-year, $12MM Raiders deal in 2023.

Gardner-Johnson may need to accept another “prove it” deal after he missed nearly all of last season due to a pectoral tear. Though, CJGJ was among the players who made it back from an early-season pec tear to suit up before year’s end. Gardner-Johnson came off IR in Week 18 but did not return to a starting role with Detroit. The Titans should also be a team to watch for Gardner-Johnson, Fowler adds, with new Tennessee DC Dennard Wilson a fan from his time coaching Philadelphia’s DBs. Vic Fangio also coached Simmons for three seasons in Denver, being the team’s HC when it authorized a then-record extension in 2021.

Elsewhere in the Eagles’ secondary, Howie Roseman said they are keeping James Bradberry for the 2024 season. Considering Bradberry has an $8.85MM salary guarantee for the 2024 season (as part of a $20MM guarantee package from his second Eagles agreement), this is hardly surprising. But it does make age an issue in the Eagles’ secondary. Bradberry will be 31 next season, while Darius Slay turned 33 earlier this year. It could make the Eagles cautious about adding a 30-something at safety on this year’s market.

Lions Activate C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Alim McNeill From IR

January 6th, 2024 at 7:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ahead of their regular season finale, the Lions will receive reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball. The team announced on Saturday that defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill have been activated from injured reserve.

The former returned to practice December 20, opening his three-week activation window. Gardner-Johnson was in line to make his return to the lineup in time for Week 18, so today’s move comes as little surprise. The free agent addition is now cleared to see regular season action for the first time since suffering a torn pec in September.

The Lions’ secondary has seen a number of changes during the season related to health and performance. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said earlier this week that second-round rookie Brian Branch will remain Detroit’s starting slot corner. As a result, Gardner-Johnson will be used at safety when on the field. The 26-year-old will rotate alongside Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph on the backend as the Lions look for needed improvement against the pass on defense.

The NFC North champions rank 25th in passing yards allowed per game entering Week 18, allowing 240 yards per game through the air. That has weighed down the team’s overall defensive showing (23.4 points per game allowed, 23rd in the league). A healthy Gardner-Johnson could help in that department if he manages to showcase his level of play with the Eagles last season (something which would also, of course, help his free agent market in the offseason after he came to the Lions on a one-year deal).

McNeill had his practice window opened earlier this week, a sign that he would be able to suit up for the regular season finale. The move allowed Detroit to part ways with fellow D-lineman Isaiah Buggs, who appears to have asked to be let go. McNeill had been sidelined for one month, interrupting his breakout third season in the league. The former third-rounder has posted a career-high five sacks and 12 QB pressures in 12 contests while remaining a full-time starter. He will provide an interior pass-rush presence in the postseason as part of a defensive front which ranks fifth against the run.

As a result of Saturday’s moves, the Lions have two IR activations remaining. One of those will be needed if edge rusher James Houston – who returned to practice December 28 – is to be brought back into the fold at some point this year. At any rate, Detroit’s defense will be in better shape from a health standpoint ahead of the team’s playoff game next week.

Lions Open Practice Window For S C.J. Gardner-Johnson

December 20th, 2023 at 9:07pm CST by Ely Allen

After a strong showing with the Super Bowl runner-up Eagles last season, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was considered a significant free agent addition for the Lions back in March. Unfortunately for both parties, Gardner-Johnson only made two starts in Detroit before being placed on injured reserve. Three months later, Gardner-Johnson is finally nearing a return to the active roster, with the Lions officially designating him to return from IR today, per Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman.

Gardner-Johnson found himself on IR so shortly into the regular season after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle. Initially, a full tear was feared, which usually results in a season-ending diagnosis. While things weren’t “looking good” early, the door has remained open all these weeks later for his return. Almost a week ago, the team announced that the veteran defensive back had been medically cleared to return to play.

Gardner-Johnson was not the only member of Detroit’s secondary to be lost for a significant amount of time. Not long after the team lost Gardner-Johnson early in the season, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley suffered his second ACL tear in as many years. Rookie second-round pick Brian Branch has combined with Cameron Sutton to hold down the cornerbacks group. In Gardner-Johnson’s place, Tracy Walker and Ifeatu Melifonwu have combined to fill a starting role alongside Kerby Joseph.

Now that he’s officially been designated to return, Gardner-Johnson has a 21-day window in which he can practice and eventually be activated off of IR. If he is unable to make a return to the active roster within the three-week period, he will be returned to IR and be unable to be activated during the 2023 season.

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