Eagles acquire defensive back Gardner-Johnson from Saints
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 22: C.J. Gardner-Johnson #22 of the New Orleans Saints warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles acquired defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson in a trade Tuesday with New Orleans that removes a popular and productive playmaker from the Saints' secondary.
But the Saints appear to be deep at the defensive back position and apparently were making little progress on a contract extension for Gardner-Johnson, who was due to become a free agent after this season.
Saints coach Dennis Allen declined to discuss whether the trade, which also included an exchange of late-round draft picks, was tied to Gardner-Johnson's contract situation.
"That was not an easy decision. I love Chauncey," Allen said. "He’s been big part of what we've been able to do here."
Allen added that the Saints wouldn't have dealt Gardner-Johnson "if I didn’t feel extremely confident in the group (of defensive backs) we had."
Gardner-Johnson has five interceptions, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in his three NFL seasons since the Saints selected him out of Florida in the fourth round of the 2019 draft.
The Saints also sent Philadelphia a seventh-round draft pick in 2025 for a fifth-round pick in 2023 and the later of the Eagles’ two sixth-round picks in 2024.
"We had a chance to acquire some more assets, so that’s the decision that we made," Allen said.