The Buffalo Bills are on the free agency signing board on the second day of the new league year as they are signing defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, per Tom Pelissero. The deal is a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, and now Gardner-Johnson is coming to Western New York as Jim Leonhard’s newest defensive piece.
This signing comes after the Bills signed pass rusher Bradley Chubb to a three-year deal, and the Bills are slowly starting to put this defense together.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson's one-year deal with the Bills is worth $6 million, per his agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of @UniSportsMgmt https://t.co/PMf3ywbsEJ
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 12, 2026
Gardner-Johnson was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 4th round of the 2019 NFL Draft where slowly turned into a bit of a ball hawk as his career started to go up. He spent three seasons in New Orleans and was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles where he recorded his first six-interception season of his career.
He would then join the Lions in 2023 but faced multiple injuries that only allowed him to play in three games. The very next season, he went back to Philadelphia where he won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in their blowout win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Gardner-Johnson would then play very briefly with the Texans and Bears last season. Now he lands in Buffalo and will bring Super Bowl experience with him to this locker room. With Buffalo knocking on the Super Bowl door, adding Gardner-Johnson gives them an advantage.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson addition gives Bills more intensity on defense
The defense needed to add someone in the secondary to play next to Cole Bishop, as Taylor Rapp was released. At just 28-years old, Gardner-Johnson is still in his prime and his one-year deal is a prove-it deal. It is kind of a similar setup that Joey Bosa had last offseason, where he only signed a one-year deal.
Gardner-Johnson is bringing 20 career interceptions to Buffalo, which includes two seasons of having six interceptions. He brings intensity and he’s a hard-hitter that Leonhard likes to have. Adding him with Bishop could put the Bills at the top of the tier as having two of the hardest hitting safeties in the league.
For a one-year deal that is worth up to $6 million, this is an excellent low-risk gamble for the Bills that could pay off big time for the Bills. Beane adds more help on this defense, but there is still more additions that need to be done.