C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the former Philadelphia Eagles safety, has agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions worth $8 million, leaving the Eagles in a tough position with a vacancy to fill at the safety position. The Eagles made a multi-year offer to Gardner-Johnson at the beginning of the week, but the safety was seeking a better deal, and the Eagles’ initial offer was not close to what he was seeking. The Eagles have since re-signed James Bradberry to a three-year, $38 million contract, and extended veteran corner Darius Slay for two years. Gardner-Johnson’s departure from the Eagles has left a void in the safety position, and the team will need to find a replacement in the upcoming draft or free agency. The Eagles pass defense ranked No.1 in several metrics last season, but many key contributors, including Gardner-Johnson, have signed deals with other teams during free agency’s first week.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the former safety for the Philadelphia Eagles, has reportedly agreed to sign a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions for a sum of $8 million. The agreement leaves the Eagles, who had signed Gardner-Johnson to a productive one-season deal, in a difficult position, with a vacancy to fill at the safety position. Gardner-Johnson had played a crucial role for the Eagles in the last season with six interceptions, which was tied for first in the NFL, despite only featuring in 12 games because of a mid-season lacerated kidney injury.
Gardner-Johnson joined the Eagles last year after a trade with the New Orleans Saints that saw the Eagles give up a fifth- and sixth-round pick. In the three years preceding his time with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson was a slot cornerback for the Saints, but the switch to safety paid off for him as he was able to become one of the most impactful players at his position. Gardner-Johnson had hoped to improve his market value with the Eagles after the Saints and he could not agree on a contract extension.
This season’s safety market has been volatile, and many of the top free agents in the position signed deals that were lower than expected. Gardner-Johnson’s new deal is being seen as a “prove-it” contract, despite his stellar performance in the previous season. It was reported that the Eagles made Gardner-Johnson a multi-year offer at the beginning of the week, but the safety was seeking a better deal.
The Eagles’ initial offer was reportedly higher than the amount that Gardner-Johnson eventually signed for with the Lions. However, he was seeking an annual salary close to that of the highest-paid safety, Jessie Bates, and the Eagles’ offer did not meet his expectations. The Eagles have since re-signed All-Pro cornerback James Bradberry to a three-year, $38 million contract, and extended veteran corner Darius Slay for two years.
Gardner-Johnson’s departure from the Eagles leaves a void in the safety position, and the Eagles will need to find a replacement in the upcoming draft or free agency. Overall, the safety market has been quite unpredictable this year, with several well-known players settling for below-market deals.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson joins a growing list of key contributors from last year’s team to sign elsewhere in free agency during the last week. Many of the difference-makers lost by the Eagles have been on the defensive side, including Gardner-Johnson’s fellow starting safety Marcus Epps, linebacker Kyzir White, and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. T.J. Edwards, another linebacker, also signed a deal with another team.
Despite the significant losses, the Eagles had the No.1 pass defense in several metrics last season, including Football Outsiders’ efficiency metrics. The defensive secondary was a significant reason why the team made it to Super Bowl LVII, even though they struggled against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs once they arrived in Arizona.
Gardner-Johnson’s departure could be the toughest for the Eagles to compensate for this offseason. He played from multiple alignments in his first year with the Eagles, and his versatility helped the defense disguise and/or match coverages. Although second-year safety Reed Blankenship played well in relief of Gardner-Johnson last season, the Eagles may still have to deal with questionable options at safety.
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed to this report.
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