CJ Gardner-Johnson initially thought Eagles GM Howie Roseman was pranking him about the Texans trade

CJ Gardner Johnson, 27, had played in the Philadelphia Eagles twice, once in the 2022 season and the 2024 season

CJ Gardner-Johnson initially thought Eagles GM Howie Roseman was pranking him about the Texans trade

CJ Gardner Johnson, Howie Roseman (Images via 6ABC/Philadelphia Eagles)

The Philadelphia Eagles office is a busy house this offseason. The defending champions have traded away many of their Super Bowl-winning roster in the past few days. Amongst the one of the few is CJ Gardner-Johnson. The 27-year-old safety was traded to the Houston Texans, and the former first-round offensive lineman, Kenyon Green, was acquired in return.

Gardner-Johnson, drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2019, joined the Eagles in 2022 before moving to Detroit a year later. After a subpar season in the Big D, The Floridan joined the Eagles for a second stint. In the regular season, he made 59 combined tackles, 12 pass deflections, a career-high tying six interceptions, and one touchdown in 16 games and 16 starts. In the postseason, he finished with career-high postseason combined tackles.

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The season had been such a good one for the 27-year-old that he didn’t expect the trade at all.

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I thought it was April Fools

CJ Gardner-Johnson admitted on a video call-in

Gardner-Johnson, formerly known as Chauncey during his time at Florida, emphasized that there’s no animosity and acknowledged the team’s financial constraints. Ultimately, he departs Philadelphia with a Super Bowl ring.

Did the Philadelphia Eagles make a mistake trading CJ Gardner-Johnson?

The Philadelphia Eagles moving ahead with releasing CJ Gardner-Johnson has shocked many fans without any doubt. His strong presence on social media platforms and walking on the edge of controversies eventually buried the hatchet for the Floridan.

CJ Gardner Johnson
CJ Gardner-Johnson (Image via On Pattison)

Speaking on FS1’s The Facility, former linebacker Emmanuel Acho expressed that the Philadelphia Eagles made a grave mistake. He emphasized that no one currently on the roster can replace his energy and attitude.

I got to be worried about the Eagles defensively right now because of what I call him. I call him an enforcer. I don’t know Chauncey Gardner-Johnson off the field, but I know everybody, every team, on the field, you need a bad dude… A dude that at any given point may get thrown out the game. He might get thrown out the game. And that’s okay. And Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, he is that dude, and every team has him. The Eagles don’t have that at linebacker. Zack Baun is a really good player, but Zack Baun is not an enforcer.

Zack Baun said

The Eagles will need to fill more than just a void in production at the safety position. Gardner-Johnson was the team’s most vocal trash-talker, an “enforcer” who never shied away from a confrontation and brought an unmistakable swagger to the field—qualities that may be impossible to replicate.