Tag: C. J. Gardner-Johnson

Caden Sterns seemingly responds to fans who wanted Broncos to add a safety

As the roster stands now, Caden Sterns is projected to start across from Justin Simmons in the Broncos’ secondary this fall.

The Denver Broncos were in the market for a safety during NFL free agency.

The Broncos showed interest in Nick Scott and C.J. Gardner-Johnson before they joined the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions, respectively. Kareem Jackson, who will turn 35 next month, is an unsigned free agent and Denver appeared to be seeking a possible replacement.

Broncos fans were well aware of — and excited about — the team’s interest in Gardner-Johnson, so it’s no surprise that fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment when CJGJ signed with the Lions on Sunday evening.

Caden Sterns, who is the in-house candidate to replace Jackson, seemingly took notice of the fans who hoped the team would sign a free agent safety.

“Keep that same energy. Still love you guys though,” Sterns tweeted with a laughing crying emoji on Sunday night.

Sterns tweeted this shortly after CJGJ landed in Detroit:

With limited salary cap space available, Denver seems to be done making big splashes in free agency. That presumably means Sterns is now the top candidate to start in Jackson’s place this fall.

Sterns is a starting-caliber safety, but he missed 12 games with injuries last year and two games in 2021. Before that, he missed multiple games with the Texas Longhorns in college. It’s not a matter of Sterns having the talent, it’s a matter of him staying on the field.

Through two seasons in the NFL, Sterns has totaled 49 tackles, nine pass breakups, four interceptions and two sacks in 20 games (five starts). As the roster stands now, Sterns is projected to start across from Justin Simmons as a strong safety in 2023.

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Broncos won’t be signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson

C.J. Gardner-Johnson has agreed to sign with the Lions on a one-year, $8 million contract.

The Denver Broncos won’t be landing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency.

The defensive back has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions worth $8 million, according to multiple reports.

Gardner-Johnson (5-11, 210 pounds) was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Florida. He spent the first three years of his career playing under Sean Payton in New Orleans.

After Payton stepped down from coaching following the 2021 season, the Saints traded Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2022 season. In Philadelphia, Gardner-Johnson was healthy for 12 games last season and he totaled 67 tackles, eight pass breakups, six interceptions and one sack as a safety.

Earlier in his career, Gardner-Johnson played as a nickelback for the Saints. A versatile defensive back, the 25-year-old Gardner-Johnson can fit several spots in the secondary.

Through four seasons in the NFL, Gardner-Johnson has recorded 228 tackles, 36 pass breakups, 14 quarterback hits, 11 interceptions and four sacks in 55 games (43 starts).

Speculation about Gardner-Johnson potentially joining the Broncos increased last Monday when the defender followed the team’s official account plus cornerback Pat Surtain, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and other Denver players on Instagram. A few days later, reports emerged that the Broncos were interested in signing Gardner-Johnson.

Instead, the safety will land in Detroit. Denver also showed interest in safety Nick Scott before he joined the Cincinnati Bengals. It seems clear that the team believes they could use more help at safety.

We are tracking all of the team’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

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Dalton Schultz, C.J. Gardner-Johnson still make sense for Bengals in free agency

Two big names still make sense for the Bengals in free agency.

Two notable potential free-agency targets remain on the board for the  Cincinnati Bengals as the first week of the open market nears an end.

One is Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a guy Bengals fans really, really want the team to sign.

In the wake of losing Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates the Bengals signed Nick Scott. But CJG is a 25-year-old safety with versatility who picked off six passes last year.

The other is tight end Dalton Schultz of the Dallas Cowboys, who topped our list of available free agents to help the team replace Hayden Hurst. He’s 27 and does a little bit of everything, including contributing as a weapon and blocker.

There’s one notable thing connecting these two free agents besides need — the potential value.

If CJG is still on the market, it suggests he’s not getting the traction expected. That could put him in Bengals territory as far as a one-year prove-it deal on a contender. On the field, he’s not going to replace the likes of Mike Hilton often, but he could still be a fun chess piece for Lou Anarumo’s safety-heavy sets and overall depth.

Same story for Schultz. The fact he’s still there while guys like Hurst and even Mike Gesicki have found deals (and half of his deal was only incentives) suggest a slow market. Playing with Joe Burrow has now gotten C.J. Uzomah and Hurst better-than-expected deals, so Schultz too might be in that one-year prove-it deal range. He’d potentially be an upgrade over Hurst and provide a nice one-two punch with a likely rookie draft pick.

So while the Bengals could easily fall back now and just retain a few names like Eli Apple, these two names — at the right price — still make a ton of sense.

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Do the Broncos have any splash moves left in free agency?

What’s next for the Broncos — signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson or trading Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy, perhaps?

The Denver Broncos have made several splash moves in free agency so far, including adding a pair of high-profile offensive linemen to help protect quarterback Russell Wilson and pave the way for running backs in 2023.

After signing eight free agents and bringing back four of their own in-house free agents, are the Broncos done making splashes in NFL free agency?

There might still be a notable move or two in store for Denver.

The Broncos, for example, are among the teams who are interested in free agent defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. That would be a huge addition to Denver’s secondary, but also likely a costly one.

It’s hard to calculate exactly how much salary cap space the Broncos have left because we do not yet have contract details for all the team’s new free agent additions. It seems safe to assume, though, that Denver has to be close to being right up against the cap for the 2023 season.

The Broncos could easily create more cap space by restructuring select contracts. The downside to doing that would be the possibility of eating more “dead money” if a player with a restructured deal is cut down the road. If they need or want to, though, Denver can create more cap space this spring.

The Broncos could also get some cap relief if they trade one of their wide receivers, such as Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy. Such a move would also create a splash as it would give Denver additional draft capital.

We don’t know what comes next for the Broncos, but a big addition like Gardner-Johnson or a high-profile WR trade can’t be ruled out. Denver could also have a few more budget signings on deck.

We are tracking all of the team’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

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Bengals fans really, really want team to sign C. J. Gardner-Johnson

Bengals fans really want to see the team make this happen.

Cincinnati Bengals fans are a little restless, which is understandable given the team’s relative inaction during the flurry of early free-agency moves around the league.

The man who seems to be atop almost everyone’s wishlist, though, is Philadelphia Eagles safety C. J. Gardner-Johnson.

CJGJ, one of the best safeties still available, looks like an ideal replacement for Vonn Bell as the team gets ready to start sophomore first-rounder Dax Hill in place of Jessie Bates next season.

Part of the hype has been CJGJ himself interacting with tweets that show him photoshopped into Bengals jerseys and seeming to like the idea.

Here’s a look at some of the major hype between CJGJ and Bengals fans — it hasn’t hit La’el Collins levels yet, but it might just get there.