C.J. Gardner-Johnson reportedly became too 'high-maintenance' for Bills before release

C.J. Gardner-Johnson. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

C.J. Gardner-Johnson reportedly became too 'high-maintenance' for Bills before release

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 4, 2026 1:15 AM ET

The Buffalo Bills released defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday after he served a one-game suspension for a spitting incident in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The move came as a surprise after Bills rookie head coach Joe Brady recently indicated Gardner-Johnson would remain with the team. Buffalo, however, reportedly felt he was becoming too big a headache.

Report expands on C.J. Gardner-Johnson release

On Tuesday, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported that a source told him the Bills released Gardner-Johnson partly because he was becoming too "high-maintenance" and his production didn't outweigh that.

Gardner-Johnson had 17 tackles, one interception and two passes defended in six games for Buffalo, but he allowed too many big plays in pass coverage. Per Sports Info Solutions, he allowed nine completions on 11 targets for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

We’ve released S C.J. Gardner-Johnson.https://t.co/QdLUk4k9Jp | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/rcusjACBox
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) November 3, 2026

His tackling also regressed. Per SIS, he posted a 29.7 percent broken/missed tackle rate (11 on 372 snaps), the second-worst mark of his eight-year career.

"Look, C.J.'s a member of the Buffalo Bills," Brady said of the one-time Super Bowl champion on Oct. 19, per Florio. "We brought him here for a reason, and we know that he knows he has to play better. He knows he has to be better for this team, and, you know, just like everybody else, right, we've got to learn from this stuff, and we have to improve and find ways to get better as the season goes."

Apparently, the Bills felt he wouldn't improve. ESPN lists Damar Hamlin as the starting safety now that Gardner-Johnson is no longer on the team. Heading into its Week 9 game against the Minnesota Vikings (6-1) on the road on "Monday Night Football." Buffalo (6-1) hopes he emerges as an adequate replacement as it tries to stay hot.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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