We’re only heading into Week 4 of the NFL regular season, and former Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is already looking for a new team. On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Gardner-Johnson is being released by the Houston Texans.
The Eagles traded the veteran defensive back and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Texans for offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick in March. That trade looks really bad for both teams now, as Green is also a free agent.
As you can imagine, Eagles fans on social media immediately brought up the idea of GM Howie Roseman bringing back Gardner-Johnson to the organization. However, it may not be in Philly’s best interest to bring him back for a third time.
Eagles Should Pass on Reunion with C.J. Gardner-Johnson After Texans’ Release
According to Aaron Wilson of KRPC-2, the Texans released the ex-Eagles defensive back due to friction behind the scenes. Wilson said that Johnson complained about his role, wanting to blitz more, and communicated that he wanted to be traded.
If even one or two of these things are true, I don’t know if Roseman wants to go back down that path with the veteran defensive back. When Philadelphia moved on from Gardner-Johnson, he wasn’t really fond of how things played out with Roseman and the front office.
In fact, Gardner-Johnson refuted the notion that the trade was a salary cap, saying, “it wasn’t about the money,” and “it's deeper than that” when he spoke with Wilson in August.
Now, some within the fanbase likely don’t care about that, as they know Gardner-Johnson brings an edge to the field and is a playmaker, as we saw in 2022 and 2024. However, despite the veteran having six interceptions last season en route to a Super Bowl championship, he also gave up his share of touchdowns (8).
He’s not a fit for the slot cornerback spot on this current Eagles’ team, as Philly doesn’t want to move Cooper DeJean from his role. And they drafted Gardner-Johnson’s replacement in April with the selection of Andrew Mukuba.
The rookie safety has a ton of upside and has already made a play, which we saw in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, changing the trajectory of that game.
Based on all those factors, plus the veteran DB not playing in a minimum of four games with Houston, which could negate a return per the NFL's CBA (h/t Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation), the Eagles should pass on another Gardner-Johnson reunion and continue to roll with what they have.