Bears Won’t Be Surprised if Bills Come to Regret C.J. Gardner-Johnson Signing

The Chicago Bears wasted no time making moves ahead of free agency, agreeing to terms with former Seattle Seahawks defensive back Coby Bryant and seeing cornerback Nahshon Wright depart for the New York Jets. One player whose return was questionable was safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, even though he played a key role on the defense after being acquired in a mid-season trade.

While that breakup was all but confirmed after the signing of defensive back Cam Lewis, the Bills eliminated any doubt by signing Gardner-Johnson to a one-year deal worth $6 million on Thursday, per the NFL’s X account and via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

While that is not the most expensive signing, it is still a lot for a guy who keeps changing teams. Gardner-Johnson has already proved he is not a long-term solution and did not even end last season with the team he started with, after appearing in the first three games with the Houston Texans to start the 2025 campaign. That alone poses some concerns to the Bills despite his strong play in Chicago following the trade.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson Signing Could Backfire on Bills

Not only did Gardner-Johnson experience a short stint with the Texans, but he was with the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad for only one week before getting released. He made the most of his time with the Bears for the remainder of the season, but the lack of continuity with the Texans and Ravens showed that he struggles to stick around and be a committed team player. That does not exactly provide reasons for optimism from a Bills organization that has already undergone multiple coaching and roster changes since the end of the 2025 season.

Despite the inconsistency to begin the season, Gardner-Johnson was a perfect fit for a Bears secondary that needed a spark. He had 35 solo tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble, and two interceptions in seven starts and 10 games played for the Bears. Even with Chicago’s season on the line in their playoff loss against the Los Angeles Rams, he had four solo tackles and a pass break-up, proving to be someone who will desperately be missed on a defense that was tied for the 22nd-most points allowed last season (24.4 PPG).

With his intentions for next season made clear, it is best for both sides that Gardner-Johnson is now with the Bills. With that said, it is clear the Bears need to invest in the secondary in the upcoming draft. In addition to losing Gardner-Johnson and Wright, Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker also walked away in free agency, making the team’s offseason plans crystal clear.

While that should be the focus for Chicago, it may not be the worst thing to see them go elsewhere, especially Gardner-Johnson. Whenever the Bears square off against the Bills, they will have a chance to expose him since they know his tendencies, and he was already notably slow.

On paper, this may not seem like a win by a Bears secondary that led the league in total takeaways (33) and interceptions (23) in 2025. However, as someone who has not proven to be a long-term solution anywhere he has been, this may be a signing that negatively impacts the Bills and benefits the Bears in the long haul.

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