There has been a slew of free agency signings and trades to officially kick off the NFL offseason. Some of these moves have been expected, while some have raised eyebrows around the league. So few transactions were as surprising as the Houston Texans acquiring veteran safety CJ Gardner-Johnson from the Eagles via a trade.
Only a month after winning the Super Bowl behind an elite defense, the Eagles decided it was time to move on from one of their best players on the secondary. This was especially unexpected after the Eagles had already lost key starters in Milton Williams and Josh Sweat earlier in free agency. Plus, CJGJ was coming off one of his most productive and impactful seasons of his career.
Despite the move catching the fanbases by surprise, Gardner-Johnson seems not bothered with the trade. In fact, in his first remarks after the deal, the 27-year-old sounded thrilled to be joining the Texans.
CJGJ reacts to the #Eagles trading him: “It was no bad blood.. Them young guys just gotta get paid down there.. All I asked them was to trade me somewhere I can play winning football, and I woke up and boom there it is, we in Houston”
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) March 11, 2025
(H/T @Philly_Mike25) pic.twitter.com/2dIDsomKrt
CJ Gardner-Johnson Thrilled After Trade to the Texans
The former Eagle who has helped the team get to the Super Bowl in his only two seasons in Philadelphia said that there is no bad blood between him and the organization. In fact, CJGJ said he understood the decision since the Eagles have to pay the young players up for an extension.
One of the reasons why he was happy with the decision is the fact that they traded him to Houston. The talented ballhawk, who had six interceptions last season, revealed that he had asked the team to trade him somewhere he could "play winning football" and appreciated that they honored that by sending him to the Texans.
Gardner-Johnson received a career-high 76.0 overall grade by Pro Football Focus last season. He ranked 21st among 170 eligible safeties in the NFL. If he can continue that level of performance for the Texans, he will play a huge role in helping Houston get over the hump in the postseason.