Sep 15, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) and Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) celebrate after making a tackle during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Jets Could Bolster Safety By Signing CJ Gardner-Johnson

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 8:00 PM ET

Should the New York Jets look to make a move?

For the Jets, there have been some questions all over the place this season. But, one position of interest has been safety. The Jets have rookie Malachi Moore, who got a lot of time Week 3 with Tony Adams missing the game. Even with that being said, the safety room has been in question in general this season. Now, a clear upgrade is out there for the taking.

The Houston Texans released CJ Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston.

Should the Jets sign CJ Gardner-Johnson?

"Texans release C.J. Gardner-Johnson per a league source," Wilson said. "Texans released C.J. Gardner-Johnson after friction behind the scenes with him complaining about his role, wanting to blitz more, per league sources, and even communicating that he wanted to be traded. It didn't work out for him here. M.J. Stewart next man up expected...

"Among the issues Texans experienced behind the scenes with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, per sources, he was critical of teammates in the secondary and didn't like his role. It was a locker room issue and ultimately this just wasn't a good fit for the team and for a talented player."

There's not a lot of options out there right now. Gardner-Johnson immediately becomes the top available safety after his surprise release. Gardner-Johnson is just 27 years old and has had two separate seasons with six interceptions under his belt. He was a big reason why the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2025. He's a clear star-level player, but does tend to have a lot of drama around him.

At this point, the Jets could use a boost and he's out there for the taking. The Jets have over $14 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. That's clear enough to sign Gardner-Johnson after being released after three games with Houston. Again, there's been plenty of drama with him. But, he's young and can help this defense. Why not at this point?

This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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