C.J. Gardner-Johnson appears to be betting on himself, leaving the Eagles for a one-year, $8 million deal with the Detroit Lions.
The #Lions are signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year, $8 million deal with $6.5M fully guaranteed signing, per sources.
His agent, Kevin Conner of @UniSportsMgmt, confirmed the deal, which reunites Gardner-Johnson, Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn. pic.twitter.com/RAIAdqYgPv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 20, 2023
Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn were with the Saints when Garnder-Johnson was drafted out of the University of Florida.
Gardner-Johnson, 25, was acquired by Philadelphia from New Orleans late in the summer along with the Saints’ 2025 seventh-round draft pick for a 2023 fifth-round draft pick and the latter of their two sixth-round draft choices in 2024.
Gardner-Johnson logged 61 solo tackles, six interceptions, and eight passes defended while missing five games with a lacerated kidney.
The market didn’t shake out how Gardner-Johnson felt it would, and Philadelphia didn’t think he was worth $8 million per season.
