The Houston Texans ended up with a new safety after making a smart trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. In exchange for 2022 first-round pick Kenyon Green and a swap of late picks, Houston added C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
A versatile safety who can play all over the secondary, Gardner-Johnson adds another weapon to a secondary that already boasts Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter, and Jalen Pitre. However, they nearly went for an even more impactful player than Gardner-Johnson.
While on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL insider Ian Rapoport said the Texans were targeting free agent Jevon Holland, who spent the past four seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He said Houston showed interest, but the Giants were the ones who gave him "a bag."
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Holland, who had 301 tackles and five interceptions, signed a three-year deal worth $45 million with the New York Giants. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, that could increase to $46.8 million and has $30.3 million in guaranteed money.
Texans still wound up with a talented safety
Gardner-Johnson isn't a bad fall-back plan at all. The six-year pro has 304 tackles with 18 interceptions, and has broken up 51 passes.
In 2022, he led the NFL with six interceptions and added six more in 2024 — after bouncing back from an injury-plagued 2023 season. He also has plenty of postseason experience with 13 games in the playoffs — and two Super Bowls. That includes this past Super Bowl where he helped the Eagles win it all.