One of the most surprising facts about the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2023 season was how terrible they were when it came to the defensive side of the ball. Their mid-season collapse is one of the biggest reasons for the team eventually bowing out of the playoffs to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an embarrassing fashion.
Due to this, Nick Siriani and the rest of the team are looking to transform the defense back to the team that allowed them to make Super Bowl LVII. They already brought over a new defensive coordinator in Vic Fangio and are looking to bring excellent defensive contributors.
One of the players that they are considering in the 2024 offseason is a former Eagle who played well during the Eagles’ incredible 2022 season.
Philadelphia Eagles are thinking of signing CJ Gardner-Johnson to fresh terms
The #Eagles may bring back safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, per @JFowlerESPN
"A C.J. Gardner-Johnson reunion in Philadelphia is on my radar. The Eagles realized they missed the talented safety in the secondary."https://t.co/MYH0ihDyP6 pic.twitter.com/2Rbt9F4BvL
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 3, 2024
NFL reported Dov Kleiman reported the Philadelphia Eagles’ interest in taking CJ Gardner-Johnson back to the fold after a disappointing excursion with the Detroit Lions:
It’s undeniable that Gardner-Johnson was a perfect fit to Siriani’s system during his lone year with the team. During his contract year with the Eagles, he was an elite ballhawk. He made a league-leading six interceptions for 58 yards and completed eight pass deflections. He also had six 61 solo tackles, five tackles for loss, and a single sack to his name.
His performance in Philly was enough to get him a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Detroit Lions. However, Dan Campbell wasn’t able to maximize the Florida product’s talents as he only played in three regular-season games. During that span, he picked the ball once, completed three pass deflections, and made 16 solo tackles.
The Philadelphia Eagles could probably get Gardner-Johnson at a more reasonable price tag after such a disappointing season. Siriani will be hoping that he improves massively if they sign him because of rumors about his potential successor already making rounds in and around the NFL.
However, it will be interesting to see how Philly fans will react to him after talking trash about the passionate fanbase during a 2023 live stream.