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The Eagles continue to see their veteran depth at defensive back evaporate as they’re trading safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans.
The NFL Network was the first to report the trade Tuesday morning, which won’t become official until the start of the new league year begins Wednesday afternoon.
The Eagles are getting back guard Kenyon Green, Houston’s first-round pick in 2022 who started nine of 12 games last season. In addition, the Eagles are sending Houston a sixth-round pick in 2026 and getting back the Texans’ fifth-round pick in 2026.
It’s a surprising move considering that Gardner-Johnson led the Eagles with six interceptions last season, ranking third in the NFL. It further depletes a secondary that is already losing cornerbacks Darius Slay (as of now) and Isaiah Rodgers in free agency to the Steelers and Vikings, respectively.
Slay, 34, is a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and played well last season opposite rookie Quinyon Mitchell. Rodgers was the top backup at both corner positions, and played 31% of the defensive snaps last season.
Gardner-Johnson acknowledged the trade in a social media post.
“I love you Philly, we forever champions,” he posted Tuesday morning.
Gardner-Johnson was the Eagles’ top safety after they signed him to a three-year deal worth as much as $33 million last March in free agency. The Eagles originally traded for Gardner-Johnson in August 2022, only to see him leave for the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal in free agency in 2023.
When they brought Gardner-Johnson back last spring, Eagles GM Howie Roseman said Gardner-Johnson had the swagger that the team had been missing as they finished the 2023 season by going 1-6.
The three, along with Avonte Maddox, who’s also a free agent, were the only players above the age of 27 in the secondary. Now the secondary is left to young players led by safety Reed Blankenship, in addition to cornerbacks Mitchell and fellow 2024 rookie Cooper DeJean.
Roseman stressed the need for young players to contribute two weeks ago at the NFL combine in part because the Eagles are not flush with salary cap space to sign free agents.
“We feel like if we can do this gradually,” Roseman said about turning over the team to younger players, “there will never be a year where we’re going to have to kind of start with cutting a ton of players. So I think we’re trying to gradually implement young players.
“And the key to that is bringing in good players, and bringing in good young players, and making sure that these guys are ready to contribute to our team.”
Perhaps Green, who turns 24 on Saturday, could fit that role on the offensive line.
On defense, Blankenship is the only safety with more than one game of NFL starting experience. The Eagles also have Sydney Brown, Tristin McCollum and Lewis Cine among those who could be vying for Gardner-Johnson’s spot.
But Blankenship is entering the final year of his contract. It’s possible that the Eagles could address safety in free agency with a veteran on a low-cost one-year type of deal, or even in the draft if they don’t feel comfortable with the returnees.
It would seem that Brown would have the first crack at a starting job. The Eagles drafted him in the third round in 2023. He excelled on special teams as a rookie with some spot starts at nickel until he tore his ACL in the season-finale.
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Brown missed the first four games of last season rehabbing before returning. But he was primarily used on special teams. McCollum, in fact, was often used as the third safety, and he started over Brown when Blankenship missed a game with injury in December.
There’s still a chance that the Eagles could bring back Slay. The Eagles were planning to release him with a post-June 1 designation. But the move has yet to be made.
As for Green, he hasn’t lived up to his first-round billing. The Texans drafted him 15th overall in 2022 after a trade with the Eagles so the Eagles could move up two spots to No. 13 for defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
But Green, who has played both right and left guard, has mostly struggled while also dealing with injuries. As a rookie, Green started 14 of 15 games and ranked last among 77 guards in grading by Pro Football Focus.
Green then suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason finale in 2023 and missed the entire season. Green played the first nine games before going on injured reserve in November with another shoulder injury.
But Green, who struggled again last season by allowing five sacks, was a reserve after missing five games with his injury.
Still, the trade would indicate that Green would be a candidate to start at right guard along with Tyler Steen, whom the Eagles drafted in the third round in 2023. But it’s likely that both would have to compete for the job.
The trade also means that Mekhi Becton, who started at right guard last season, likely won’t be returning. Becton is a free agent.
Either way, the trade for Green helps replenish the Eagles’ depth on the offensive line, while taking away their depth in the secondary.
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
