The Houston Texans are already moving on from veteran safety CJ Gardner-Johnson. Two days after their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team released Gardner-Johnson just three games into his tenure.
Houston confirmed it released Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. The move comes as a surprise just six months after they acquired him in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Gardner-Johnson has started each of the team's first three games and recorded 15 tackles. He has received a 63.4 player grade from Pro Football Focus, placing him near the league average among safeties.
Although solid on the field, Gardner-Johnson has seemed to give the team more headaches than he was worth. In addition to his constant injury concerns, the safety engaged in an awkward exchange with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield following their Week 2 loss.
Gardner-Johnson, 27, will now seek his fourth different team since 2023. He is coming off a Super Bowl-winning season with the Philadelphia Eagles, but has not remained with the same team for consecutive seasons since getting traded from the New Orleans Saints in 2021.
Texans' roster without CJ Gardner-Johnson
When the Texans initially acquired Gardner-Johnson, it appeared to be a move that would bolster their middling defense. However, the team is expressing potential buyer's remorse, leaving its depth chart in question.
Gardner-Johnson's release is even more contentious given the current state of the Texans' roster. Without him, they now have just three healthy safeties, with rookie Jaylen Reed on injured reserve and Jimmie Ward on the PUP list.
Without the veteran on the roster, the Texans figure to turn to M.J. Stewart, who has just 10 starts in his eight-year career. Stewart has been with the team since 2022, but has started just one game in the last four years. The team has been using Jalen Pitre, who previously logged starts at safety, as its starting nickelback.
Through three games, the Texans have allowed 206.7 passing yards per game, ranking in the top half of the league. While some of that is connected to the secondary's success, a lot also has been due to their constant negative game script. Houston is one of just six teams with a 0-3 record ahead of Week 4.
