3 Most Likely C.J. Gardner-Johnson Free Agent Destinations

The football world is buzzing now that the 2023 NFL free agency period opens up next week. When it comes to the safety position, C.J. Gardner-Johnson is a must-watch name. He led the league with 6 interceptions in 2022 while also finishing with 8 defended passes and a 78.4 passer rating when targeted in 12 games with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Though Gardner-Johnson doesn't have individual accolades like other players, he's only 25 years old and is coming off a Super Bowl LVII appearance. There are bound to be a few teams believing that his best performance has yet to come, likely making him a popular target as soon as free agency begins.

In the meantime, here's a look at Gardner-Johnson's three most likely free-agent destinations.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson Free Agency

1. Philadelphia Eagles

There's a good chance that Gardner-Johnson is back in a Philadelphia jersey this fall. It was only last month that the talented safety credited the organization with helping him mature and become a man last season. Those don't sound like the words of a player who's dead set on leaving. It wouldn't be shocking if the Eagles wanted him back, too, considering that they were 13-2 with him in the lineup compared to their 3-2 record when he was sidelined. Even if doesn't look like Philadelphia will franchise tag Gardner-Johnson at the time of writing, it's entirely possible that the two sides like each other enough to reach a new deal next week.

2. Detroit Lions

While the Detroit Lions made some big steps forward in 2022, their defense was far from impressive. The Lions were a bottom-five team in both points and passing yards allowed, opening the door for someone with Gardner-Johnson's talents. The former Florida Gator also has experience playing for Detroit head coach Dan Campbell, who was an assistant coach with the New Orleans Saints during CGJ's first two seasons. With Spotrac listing the Lions as having over $23.3 million in cap space, it's clear that Detroit has the cash to lure the Cocoa, FL native away from other suitors.

3. Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders were supposed to make a playoff push last season, but another poor defensive performance derailed those dreams. Needless to say, just like the Lions, the Raiders need to make a play for Gardner-Johnson. Outside of Trevon Moehrig, Las Vegas doesn't have any safeties that it can rely on. After depending on 32-year-old Duron Harmon last season (which didn't pay off), the Raiders would benefit by upgrading to Gardner-Johnson, who's seven years younger than the former. The 'Silver and Black' won't get back to the postseason if they don't shake things up. Targeting Garnder-Johnson shows the fanbase that they are serious about competing.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.