ClutchPoints
The Chicago Bears have signed veteran defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson, adding much-needed experience to a secondary decimated by injuries. The 27-year-old has already played for four teams since the end of last season, the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and now the Bears.
After winning Super Bowl LIX with Philadelphia, the team traded him to Houston in March 2025. The Texans released him on September 23 after three starts. Gardner-Johnson briefly joined the Baltimore practice squad in early October, but the team released him a week later before landing in Chicago.
Injuries have devastated the Bears’ secondary. Pro Bowl corner Jaylon Johnson continues to miss time after undergoing core muscle surgery, while Kyler Gordon will stay out until at least Week 12 with groin and calf issues. Tyrique Stevenson also missed last week’s loss to Baltimore. With those absences, Chicago’s defense, ranked among the NFL’s bottom ten in sacks (14 total), has been forced to rely heavily on depth players.
Gardner-Johnson, renowned for his fiery confidence and outspoken personality, seems unfazed by the quick turnaround. When asked about his readiness for Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-5), despite not yet practicing with the team, he responded with just four words:
“I’ll see you Sunday,” the 2022 NFL interception co-leader said (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin).
That confidence is exactly what the Bears need. Chicago sits at 4-3, fighting to stay in playoff contention despite losing core defenders.
General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson viewed Gardner-Johnson’s arrival as both a necessity and an opportunity. Though primarily a safety in recent years, he will move to slot corner, a position where he excelled earlier in his career with the New Orleans Saints under Dennis Allen.
Between 2019 and 2021, Pro Football Focus recorded 1,452 snaps in the slot for Gardner-Johnson, compared to only 80 at free safety during that span. His familiarity with Allen’s defensive scheme could accelerate his transition into the lineup.
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