According to Ian Rapoport, the Texans are cutting S C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
This is a major surprise, as Gardner-Johnson had been locked into the starting lineup and was a notable offseason acquisition. The team even restructured him right before the start of the season, which typically isn’t done when players aren’t part of the organization’s plans.
That said, it’s also far from the first time the veteran has worn through his welcome quickly. And at 0-3, the Texans are evidently looking to shake things up in a big way.
Gardner-Johnson’s next team will be his sixth over the past five years.
Aaron Wilson reports there was friction behind the scenes, with Gardner-Johnson complaining about his role and wanting to blitz more. Wilson adds the veteran was critical of teammates in the secondary and was a budding locker room issue. He says Gardner-Johnson even requested a trade at one point.
Gardner-Johnson, 27, is a former fourth-round pick of the Saints from Florida back in 2019. He was entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract and was set to make a base salary of $2.54 million when the Saints traded him to the Eagles during the preseason.
Gardner-Johnson was testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent for the first time and signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Lions. He was placed on injured reserve after just two games with Detroit.
He returned to the Eagles on a three-year, $27 million deal last March but was traded to Houston for G Kenyon Green earlier this offseason.
In 2025, Gardner-Johnson has appeared in three games for the Texans and recorded 15 total tackles.
We’ll have more on the release as the news is available.
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