As NFL free agency begins, the Eagles are one of the teams with the most question marks surrounding their roster. There was no way that the Eagles were going to be able to keep every free agent, with players wanting more money and bigger opportunities.
The defending NFC champs have already lost a few starters on defense, with Javon Hargrave, TJ Edwards and Marcus Epps signing elsewhere. CornerbackJames Bradberry was re-signed while Darius Slay has announced that he is staying but the Eagles top free-agent, safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, still remains on the market.
Gardner-Johnson had a career year in 2022. He snatched a league leading 6 interceptions in only 12 games. When the Eagles traded for him last year from New Orleans, he had played primarily as a cornerback, but has since blossomed into one of the best playmakers at the safety position.
The Eagles are a team in flux right now but one thing that they have to do it resign CJGJ. They are in danger of losing what that made them the best secondary in football last year. He will be expensive to bring back, but he is not a luxury for this team, he’s a necessity. The safety class is not particularly strong this off-season and with former Bengal Jessie Bates signing a deal with the Falcons, Gardner-Johnson is by far the best option left on the market.
CJGJ is built for the Eagles…
Besides being a great player, C.J. seems to have been an important locker room presence for the team. He is vocal and confident, almost to a fault, but that attitude is what endeared him so much to Eagles fans. He is able to be loose and have fun on the sidelines and in the practice facility, but when he steps on the field, his main objective is to lay the opponent down.
The Eagles know the value of having good players and good personalities on their team, exhibited by the return of Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce. With the defense already looking very different from last year, Gardner-Johnson is a much needed piece of continuity that would help the defense immensely.
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