C.J. Gardner-Johnson has had a very weird trajectory over the last few seasons in the league. After being a part of the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles roster that made the Super Bowl, he decided to sign with the Detroit Lions the following season on a one-year deal.
However, with the Eagles falling apart in 2023, they decided to bring him back into the picture in 2024 on a three-year deal. It resulted in a Super Bowl victory, but Philly didn’t keep him around, instead trading him to the Houston Texans. Now, one scout has revealed a potential reason why Philadelphia hasn’t kept him around for long.
Is C.J. Gardner-Johnson a Problem in the Locker Room?
Since coming into the league as a fourth-round pick in 2019, Gardner-Johnson has carved out a niche for himself in the league. Before his flip-flopping of the last three seasons, he became a staple of the New Orleans Saints defense.
However, aside from that run with New Orleans, his run hasn’t extended beyond a single season with any organization. With his status as one of the better safeties in the league, the short runs feel even more confusing.
The Eagles, fresh off a year where they reached the Super Bowl, and he led the league in interceptions, weren’t willing to give him the deal he sought. A similar fate occurred this offseason as well.
Even after winning only the second Super Bowl in franchise history, Philly was ready to trade him away. Johnson played a big role in the Eagles having the second-best defense on PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
Thanks to a ranking of the best safeties in the league by ESPN, we might finally have an answer for his short stints in every location. Placing him as an honorable mention outside of the top 10, an anonymous NFC scout explained what made Gardner-Johnson special.
“Takes chances, very instinctive. Not the biggest dude or the fastest, but has a knack for the ball.” However, he also added, “The personality can rub guys the wrong way.” Unfortunately, that might be where things are going wrong for Johnson.
“He has no filter. Will say what’s on his mind at all times.” The words from the scout feel hard to deny when Johnson has maintained his position of anger towards Philadelphia, claiming he feels “highly disrespected” about the trade.
Even at the time, he was publicly giving one of the most respected general managers, Howie Roseman, roster-building advice ahead of being shipped to Houston. However, in a young Texans locker room that continues to get better year after year, he has a real chance of rebuilding his image immediately.