The Chicago Bears turned to veteran defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson midway through last season. They were so desperate for help in the secondary that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen looked to bury the hatchet with the guy he didn't always look eye-to-eye with when they were with the New Orleans Saints.
Gardner-Johnson made some solid plays here and there, but he failed to make the game-changing impact the team expected. Now, with not that much money to throw around in free agency, he's likely one of the salary cap casualties in Chicago.
The Bears Can't Afford to Keep CJ Gardner-Johnson in Town
According to Over The Cap, the Bears are $5.3 million over the salary cap. They will probably have to restructure some contracts and let several veterans go. This is especially true given their imperative need to re-sign Kevin Byard. They also need to add more youth at the safety position, which is another reason there might not be much of a need to keep the former Super Bowl champion in town.
All in all, Gardner-Johnson logged 51 total tackles, five QB hits, five tackles for loss, four pass defenses, three sacks, two picks, and one forced fumble in ten appearances (seven starts). He spent most of his time at cornerback. His Pro Football Focus grade of 51.6 ranked 86th among 98 eligible players at his position. For a player brought in midseason to fill a need, these numbers are fine, but they don't do much to make a front office want to latch onto that player for years to come.
Gardner-Johnson is still young and has proven to be a valuable player when he's locked in. Then again, he also has a long history of burning bridges and overstaying his welcome everywhere he goes, and the Bears can't afford that type of distraction right now. His days in the Windy City may have been just enough for another team to roll the dice on him, and the Bears need to let him be someone else's problem.
This team needs to revamp the defensive line in the NFL draft and free agency by adding a couple of pieces in the secondary. Spotrac projects Gardner-Johnson's market value at just $2.3 million, so money shouldn't be a big issue here, but given his ego, he's still unlikely to take that type of deal.
He was a solid gamble for a team desperate for depth and health in the secondary, but with Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson back to full strength and Byard returning, there's simply no need to keep him in town any longer.