Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
C.J. Gardner-Johnson could be a fit with the Bills, especially defending the run.
The sudden and surprising release of Super Bowl-winning C.J. Gardner-Johnson should have the Buffalo Bills getting on the phone and calling his agents according to Sporting News writer Jarrett Bailey.
The Bills would be wise to ring the former Philadelphia Eagles safety, who was cut by the Houston Texans on Tuesday after their 0-3 start.
The Texans were Gardner-Johnson’s fourth team in the past five seasons — he played for the Eagles twice in that span. But Houston dealt guard Kenyon Green and a pick swap to Philadelphia for Gardner-Johnson.
The Case For C.J. Gardner-Johnson In Buffalo
The Bills rank second in the NFL in passing-yards against per game (131.3) but has given up 23.7 points per game since it has been gashed in the run game.
Granted, part of that was their Week 1 opponent, the Baltimore Ravens — who ran for 238 yards in Buffalo’s dramatic 41-40 win on Sunday Night Football. But the Bills have allowed at least 100 rushing yards in each of their first three games, and they rank 32nd in rushing-yards against per game (156.0).
Enter Gardner-Johnson, who boasts the 36th-best run-defense grade (71.2) among 123 safeties by Pro-Football Focus. He played 202 snaps in Houston and ranked fourth on the team in tackles (15) before he was released.
“The defense gave up 40 points to the Ravens in Week 1, and despite defeating the Miami Dolphins, they allowed the Dolphins to put together a 16-play drive during the game,” Bailey wrote. “Buffalo needs help in [its] secondary, specifically at safety. Luckily for Buffalo, a Super Bowl-winning safety has become available.”
The Case For Passing On C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Gardner-Johnson has turned himself from fourth-round draft pick to a NFL starter. Yet, the next team he signs with will be his fifth in as many seasons, and the Eagles traded him after he had six interceptions and 59 tackles while playing 16 games and helping them win the Super Bowl.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC TV in Houston, Gardner-Johnson paved his way off the Texans by complaining about his teammates.
“Among the issues that arose with Gardner-Johnson, per sources: criticism of teammates in the secondary, including the size of one player’s contract,” Wilson reported, “complaints about his role, including a desire to blitz more frequently and a trade request along with him making frequent comparisons to what he was accustomed to with the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl championship squad.”
Plus, Houston coach DeMeco Ryans hinted at some communication issues that Gardner-Johnson may have had with his teammates, which may have led to his zero interceptions and zero passes defended in three games.
“When you see a big play that happens on our defense, somewhere along the lines, there’s a bust in communication,” Ryans said Monday. “It all starts with communication, and it hasn’t been as crisp as it needs to be. We see that. We have to make some adjustments there to make sure we get it corrected.”
Still, the Bills have Super Bowl aspirations and have struggled stopping the run. They know Gardner-Johnson can do the latter, and Buffalo’s culture could keep his personality in line.
Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens
