Ravens Insider: Chicago Bears sign ‘fiery’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson to bolster their banged-up secondary

[ExtremeRavens]

C.J. Gardner-Johnson doesn’t really care what anyone calls his style of play.

The Chicago Bears signed the veteran defensive back Wednesday in the hope of shoring up a depleted secondary. Gardner-Johnson comes to Chicago with a reputation for poking the bear, so to speak. Call it antagonistic. Call it instigating. Call it annoying.

As far as Gardner-Johnson is concerned, people can call it whatever they like.

“I don’t feel like (it’s) instigating on the field, but if you take it that way, it’s just being a fiery player and ready to compete and win,” Gardner-Johnson said Wednesday after his first practice with the Bears.

In signing Gardner-Johnson, 27, the Bears signaled they would welcome some of that fire.

“It was one of those moves that we felt comfortable with where we’re at as a team right now, where C.J.’s at in his career, that it’s a good fit,” coach Ben Johnson said.

Gardner-Johnson had six interceptions last season while starting 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. He previously crossed paths with Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans and with Johnson in Detroit.

In his seventh NFL season, Gardner-Johnson has 18 career interceptions in 77 games. He spent his first three seasons with the Saints (2019-21) before bouncing around with two stints with the Eagles (2022 and ’24), one season with the Lions (2023) and most recently a three-game stint with the Houston Texans this season.

The Eagles traded Gardner-Johnson over the offseason to the Texans, who released him in late September. His release came as somewhat of a surprise across the league. He signed with the Ravens practice squad in October but spent only a week in Baltimore.

He will join a Bears secondary that is currently without cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, who are both on injured reserve. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson also missed last week’s game against the Baltimore Ravens with a shoulder injury, and it’s unclear if he will be back this week. The Bears listed Stevenson as limited in practice Wednesday.

With Gordon, the primary nickel corner, sidelined for at least three more games, Ben Johnson confirmed that Gardner-Johnson will focus primarily on the slot.

“He’s been with (Allen) and so he should have some familiarity (with the scheme),” Johnson said. “But he’s also bounced around to a few different other systems over the last few years, and so we’ll see how quickly it comes back to him and whether he’ll be ready to go this week or not.”

He’ll have three practices to get up to speed before the Bears visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. With wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the other side, shoring up the secondary is a big priority this week.

Gardner-Johnson never has shied away from talking on the field. Bears fans will remember him for riling up wide receiver Anthony Miller in a January 2021 playoff game to the point Miller threw a punch and was ejected from the 21-9 loss to the Saints.

That came only two months after Bears wide receiver Javon Wims also was ejected for throwing a punch at Gardner-Johnson in a regular-season meeting at Soldier Field. Wims received a two-game suspension.

Bears wide receiver Javon Wims, right, fights with Saints defensive backs C.J. Gardner-Johnson (22) and Janoris Jenkins (20) on Nov. 1, 2020, at Soldier Field. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

After the regular-season incident, then-Bears coach Matt Nagy said his team had a meeting ahead of the playoff game devoted entirely to not falling for Gardner-Johnson’s antics — only for Miller to throw a punch at him anyway. The Bears traded Miller the following offseason.

It’s a curious addition for the Bears, who have avoided players with a reputation for being antagonistic. Gardner-Johnson is also on his fourth team in a calendar year.

Johnson said the Bears did their due diligence by speaking with people who have worked with Gardner-Johnson recently.

“We’ve got a very strong locker room,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a positive veteran influence in there. I feel very strongly about that group, and nothing is more important than our locker (room), to be clear with you. That’s certainly first and foremost (with) any decision we make of who we bring in or who we let go. And so we’re all aware of how important that is and the fit that he has with this locker room.”

The familiarity with Allen’s scheme was a big draw for Gardner-Johnson. Much of his early NFL success under Allen came when he was playing in the slot.

“Really that’s how I started my career,” he said. “Give me a chance to get close to the ball, make plays and make it easier on the guys in the back end. When I’m closer to the ball, Coach (Allen) and Coach Ben know what I can do.”

The Bears had an open spot on the roster, which was at 52 players after Tuesday’s moves, so they didn’t need to release anyone to make space for Gardner-Johnson.

The Bears also signed offensive lineman Royce Newman and defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin to their practice squad Wednesday.

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