PHILADELPHIA — At the moment, the March deal that sent veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the Eagles to the Houston Texans for struggling former first-round draft pick Kenyon Green looks like the quintessential trade that helped neither team.
After Gardner-Johnson was released by the Texans Tuesday, it meant that neither player involved in the deal was still with the acquiring team, a shocking development considering this is Week 4 of the season. One day earlier, Green was waived by the Eagles after they signed returner Xavier Gipson.
Each team does still have an investment in the deal. The Eagles will get a fifth-round selection in the 2026 draft and the Texans will get a sixth-round selection.
Here’s the big question for the Eagles: Do they have any interest in bringing back Gardner-Johnson now that he’s a free agent?
It has to be something they at least consider considering his track record during his two previous seasons in Philadelphia.
After coming to the Eagles from New Orleans in a 2022 trade, Gardner-Johnson led the team with six interceptions in 12 games and helped them reach the Super Bowl. He finished fourth on the team in tackles while also contributing a sack and five tackles for a loss.
Despite that success, the Eagles allowed CJGJ to leave as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season. He signed a one-year deal with Detroit, but played in just three regular-season games because of injury. He returned to the Eagles as a free agent last season, contributed six more interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown. He again finished fourth on the team in tackles.
The Eagles often credited Gardner-Johnson for giving the team an edginess that many thought they lacked in 2023, but when the season was over, they were still willing to part ways for Green, a player they had to know was a project following three disappointing seasons with the Texans.
At the moment the Eagles are 3-0 with Reed Blankenship and rookie Drew Mukuba as their starting safeties. Sydney Brown has also been getting time on the field. The fourth safety has been veteran Marcus Epps, who is currently on the practice squad, but he has been elevated for all three games. In order to elevate Epps again this season, the Eagles will have to sign him to the active roster.
Here was coach Nick Sirianni’s answer to the big question about possibly bringing back CJGJ: “I am really excited about the room that we have,” he said. “I think they’ve done a really nice job to date. We have a good young player in Andrew Mukuba who continues to get better. And I think having Reed (Blankenship) next to him is helping him get better. Sydney is doing a really good job. He’s doing a good job on special teams and some work on defense as well. I’m really excited with that group and pleased with that group.”
Sirianni, you might have noticed, did not say no to the question.
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