Bills cut safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after suspension
The team released the 28-year-old veteran following a one-game absence for a spitting incident and concerns over his defensive performance.
By Sakura Novak ·
The Buffalo Bills announced on Tuesday that they have released safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The move follows his return from a one-game suspension related to an incident in Week 6.
Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year contract worth $6 million with Buffalo in March. During a game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6, NFL on CBS cameras captured him spitting toward Raiders players Brock Bowers and Tyler Linderbaum. Officials flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected him from the contest.
The NFL imposed a one-game suspension on the 28-year-old for the incident. He served that suspension during last Sunday's victory over the Baltimore Ravens, which came after the Bills' Week 7 bye.
According to ESPN, the release was driven more by inconsistent play than the ejection. The report stated that the organization was frustrated by numerous questionable plays in the secondary. Through six games this season, opposing quarterbacks completed 64.7% of their passes against Gardner-Johnson and posted an 83.5 passer rating.
Damar Hamlin started in Gardner-Johnson's place during the win over Baltimore. Hamlin recorded five tackles and one pass defended in that game. He is expected to be the favorite to retain the starting role going forward.
Gardner-Johnson entered the league as a fourth-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2019. He played three seasons with New Orleans before trading to the Philadelphia Eagles in the summer of 2022. He also spent time with the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and Chicago Bears before joining Buffalo this offseason.
