The Detroit Lions have added CJ Gardner-Johnson to their team with a one-year deal worth up to $8 million. Gardner-Johnson, a free-agent safety, previously played for the NFC champions in 2022 before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. The signing comes as the Lions have already added Cameron Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and David Montgomery to their team. The Lions finished 9-8 last season, but failed to reach the postseason. Gardner-Johnson declined a multi-year offer from the Eagles, choosing instead to sign with the Lions. The agency representing Gardner-Johnson’s rep, Universal Sports Management, believes that a one-year deal with $8 million is better than a multi-year offer with largely unguaranteed payments. Gardner-Johnson thanked the Eagles for his time with the team, and his teammate AJ Brown congratulated him on his move to the Lions on Twitter.
The Detroit Lions have reportedly signed CJ Gardner-Johnson, a free-agent safety, to a one-year contract worth up to $8 million. ESPN was the first to report the deal, which includes $6.5 million in guarantees. Gardner-Johnson played as a safety for the NFC champions in 2022 and was a trade-in from the New Orleans Saints in August. Despite playing only 12 games due to a kidney laceration, he tied for the league lead in interceptions and became the first Philadelphia player since 1970 to intercept a pass in five consecutive games. With Gardner-Johnson on the team, the Eagles had a league-low 180 yards per game in 2022.
Gardner-Johnson’s new contract has raised some eyebrows, given his productivity in 2022 and the fact that there are still 17 safeties with higher average annual salaries, according to Spotrac. The Eagles reportedly made a multi-year offer to Gardner-Johnson, but he declined it in favor of a shorter one-year deal with the Lions. Gardner-Johnson’s agency, Universal Sports Management, explained on Twitter that a one-year deal worth $8 million is better than a multi-year offer with largely unguaranteed payments. The agency also asked, “Which one you taking?”
The Philadelphia Eagles were not able to keep Gardner-Johnson but did re-sign safety James Bradberry on a three-year, $38 million deal and extended cornerback Darius Slay for two years and $42 million.
The Detroit Lions have added another new face to their team with the signing of free-agent safety CJ Gardner-Johnson on a one-year deal worth up to $8 million. This comes after the Lions have already added cornerbacks Cameron Sutton ($33 million, three-year deal) and Emmanuel Moseley ($6 million, one-year deal), as well as running back David Montgomery ($18 million, three-year deal). The Lions finished 9-8 last season but failed to reach the postseason. Gardner-Johnson thanked the Eagles for his time with the team, and his teammate AJ Brown congratulated him on his move to the Lions on Twitter, stating that Detroit got a great one.
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