The New Orleans Saints have made a surprising move on roster cut down day, sending safety Chauncey “C.J.” Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles along with a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick.
Gardner-Johnson was a 4th round pick out of Florida for the Saints in the 2019 NFL Draft and has carved a role in New Orleans as a tough, physical, play-making safety with a reputation for getting under other players skin.
CJ Gardner-Johnson has been traded to the Eagles.
Never forget when he got sucker punched with his helmet on by Javon Wims @betthepigskin
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) August 30, 2022
They're gonna love CJ Gardner-Johnson in Philly đ¤Łpic.twitter.com/f8k5jqvPYe
— BetMGM đŚ (@BetMGM) August 30, 2022
welcome to the eagles cj gardner-johnson pic.twitter.com/jnpUjz7VYe
— ruby (@rubythevalley) August 30, 2022
With Gardner-Johnson set to be a free agent after this season, the Saints with some salary cap trouble on the horizon, combined with the fact that their secondary is absolutely loaded at the moment, the time was right to make a move like this and they did not have a ton of leverage to get a lot back, even for a solid player like Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson seems like he will be a perfect fit in Philadelphia, filling both a need at safety as well as bringing a swagger and attitude to a city that will absolutely love a player like him. While the Saints will certainly miss what Gardner-Johnson brings, they have the talent to replace him and will likely be just fine in the secondary.
