Chauncey Gardner-Johnson seeks fresh start with familiar defensive boss

A mile-long list of unsportsmanike penalties or even ejections have dogged Gardner-Johnson.

He seems ready to focus on football since being cut by both Houston and Baltimore this year after a 2024 season starting for the Super Bowl champion Eagles.

"Fresh start," is how he categorized this page in his career, after 18 career interceptions as a safety and cornerback.

"I wanna win," Johnson said. "I won a Super Bowl last year.

"Sometimes it’s not about being the star of the team. Sometimes it’s about being the guy that get things done the right way and helping guys get things done the right way. Being on a Super Bowl team last year, you could see how guys go about things and being able to adapt and adjust to the game and really just teaching, being a student of the game as the game go on."

As long as what he's teaching people isn't to be an instigator it could work for a Bears  defense still without Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson. They could be without Tyrique Stevenson again this week but he managed to practice Wednesday on a limited basis.

"I don’t feel like (I'm) instigating on the field, but if you take it that way it’s just being a fiery player and ready to compete and win," Gardner-Johnson said.

Gardner-Johnson's instigating went in a different direction at Houston. Houston-based NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reported he had become a "locker room issue" for expressing criticism of his teammates in the secondary.

Asked about that situation, Gardner-Johnson was a little less forthcoming.

"As long as I stay in the building and do what I need to do, I don’t gotta answer none of those questions," Gardner-Johnson said. "I think being in the building with a good team is going to answer itself."

He feels he can help the Bears become a better defense as he tries  to replace Gordon during the injury. The slot is something he hasn't played much since leaving New Orleans via trade after the 2021 season. He played it effectively for Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans.

"Really that’s how I started my career," he said. "Give me a chance to get close to the ball, make plays and make it easier on the guys in the back end.

"When I’m closer to the ball, coach D.A. and coach Ben know what I can do because D.A. drafted me. It actually molded me to who I am today. So appreciate that."

It's obvious Gardner-Johnson holds Allen with high regard.

"We went out to ball together in New Orleans and the motto was the same," Gardner-Johnson said. "He cared for me as a player, as a person. At that the time, I was younger and the message was always the same. So coming here, him understands what I can do and coming to a locker room with veteran presence, I can adapt easily, and understand that if I need help I can go ask.

"I think that's the biggest thing he taught me in the first three years was that if you need help, ask the guys around you. Go to your teammates. Shoutout to KB (Byard), (Jaquan) Brisker, and Grady Jarrett, who came up to me. Guys like that, it just backs up what he says. It's a great locker room and guys are really helping me."

Whether they can help him to avoid trouble with the officials on Sundays is the real issue. If it is a problem in the locker room, the veterans, Allen and Johnson would take care of it rapidly.

He's already working and making plays in practice, as Byard said.

Can he be ready  on short notice?

"I'll see you Sunday," he said.