Understanding the safety position to be in dire need of talent infusion, the Buffalo Bills finally found their guy in veteran C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The former Chicago Bears safety is signing a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, per a report shared by _ESPN_’s Adam Schefter citing information by Gardner-Johnson’s agents in Kevin Conner and Robert Brown.
Gardner-Johnson will have every opportunity to compete to be the starting safety opposite Cole Bishop, but it’s definitely not the only move the team will make at the position. After Bishop and Gardner-Johnson, the Bills have 2025 rookie Jordan Hancock, mostly special teamer Sam Franklin, and practice squader Wande Owens.
The Buffalo Bills cut Taylor Rapp and allowed Cam Lewis and Jordan Poyer to hit free agency this offseason.
Gardner-Johnson was a fourth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2019, starting 21 of 43 games for them before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed with the Detroit Lions in 2023, then re-signed with the Eagles in 2024. He was traded to the Houston Texans in 2025, but was released in September. He signed to the Baltimore Ravens practice squad for a week but then joined the Chicago Bear for the duration of the 2025 season.
Gardner-Johnson is known for one very important thing around the league.
“The Bills now have two of the best smack talkers in the NFL: Josh Allen and CJ Gardner-Johnson” wrote our Bruce Nolan upon hearing the news.
CGJ is super happy to be here:
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