March 19, 2023

Report: Eagles S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to sign with the Lions

Former Eagles safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions.

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

Philadelphia Eagles safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson will reportedly sign with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal worth $8 million ($6.5 million guaranteed), according to a report from NFL Network.

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

In late August, the Eagles traded their 2023 fifth-round pick and the worse of their two sixth-round picks in 2024 for Gardner-Johnson and a 2025 seventh-round pick. Gardner-Johnson proceeded to quickly become a fan favorite, leading the NFL in interceptions, with six, despite missing five games with a lacerated kidney. He did not make the Pro Bowl because of a dumb NFL rule that makes players ineligible for voting if they are on short-term IR.

Gardner-Johnson played out the final year of his rookie contract in 2022, and entered free agency hopeful land a monster contract. Instead, the open market league-wide was surprisingly soft for any safety not named Jessie Bates.

The Eagles had strong interest in re-signing Gardner-Johnson early in free agency, per multiple sources. However, they pivoted to keeping James Bradberry and Darius Slay in house when Gardner-Johnson turned down the Eagles' offers, per Jeff McLane of the Inquirer.

Skinny on why C.J. Gardner-Johnson is no longer in Philly:

- #Eagles made multi-year offer early in FA.
- He was looking for more.
- They moved on, signed Bradberry, extended Slay.
- He/agent overvalued not realizing market/league viewed him as risk.
- Settled for prove-it deal.
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) March 20, 2023

Gardner-Johnson landing in Detroit on a one-year deal worth just $8 million has to be viewed as a disappointing outcome for the Eagles, but even more so for Gardner-Johnson.

Updated Eagles depth chart here, and throw another comp pick-qualifying player on the pile.

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