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Chicago Bears sign C.J. Gardner-Johnson: All on his stats, past contracts and buyout details
CJ Gardner-Johnson, who was part of the Philadelphia Eagles squad that won the Super Bowl last season, has joined the Chicago Bears.
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CJ Gardner-Johnson, the safety formerly with the Baltimore Ravens, has now landed in a new team, Chicago Bears. The news was announced by NFL insider Adam Schefter on X.
“Bears are signing S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to their active roster after his visit yesterday, per his agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of @unisportsmgmt. Gardner-Johnson now reunites with Bears DC Dennis Allen, who coached him with the New Orleans Saints,” Schefter wrote.
Interestingly, the Bears will be the third team that Gardner-Johnson has joined this season. He started the 2025 season with the Houston Texans, but was released in September, moving to the Ravens’ practice squad.
However, Gardner-Johnson was released when the Baltimore-based unit acquired safety Alohi Gilman in a trade, per CBS Sports.
The 27-year-old was part of the Philadelphia Eagles team that won the Super Bowl last season. His contributions to his team’s championship-winning campaign were 59 combined tackles, six interceptions, 12 passes defended and a forced fumble.
In March, the Eagles traded the safety to the Texans in return for guard Kenyon Green and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft. But Gardner-Johnson only played three games for the Houston-based team before being moved on.
CJ Gardner-Johnson contract and buyout details
The veteran safety, who previously signed a 3-year, $27 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, had his contract restructured by the Texans earlier this year to free up cap space.
According to NFL Trade Rumors, the move converted part of his salary into bonuses before his surprise release in October 2025. Reports from Reuters suggest the Bears picked him up on a short-term deal following his stint on the Ravens’ practice squad.
While exact figures haven’t been disclosed, Houston is expected to absorb part of his guaranteed salary as dead money. The Bears’ new deal likely includes a lower base pay and performance-based incentives.
CJ Gardner-Johnson stats
The new Bears safety played for the Florida Gators in his college days. He was selected 105th overall in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.
After playing the first three seasons of his NFL career with the Saints, he moved to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2022 season. But in 2023, he went to the Detroit Lions, only to come back to the Eagles for last season’s Lombardi Trophy-winning campaign, as per pro-football-reference.com.
Overall, he has played in 77 games in his career and has accumulated 319 combined tackles, 18 interceptions, 51 passes defended and two forced fumbles. In the three games this season, he has 15 combined tackles, 0 interceptions, 0 passes defended and 0 forced fumbles, per pro-football-reference.com.
FAQs:
Who is CJ Gardner-Johnson?
Gardner-Johnson is a safety in the NFL who was formerly with the Philadelphia Eagles in their Super Bowl-winning campaign last season.
Which team has Gardner-Johnson signed with now?
He has now joined the Chicago Bears.
When was Gardner-Johnson drafted?
In the 2019 Draft, by the New Orleans Saints.
