Report: Former Florida DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson Signing With Detroit

Despite leading the NFL in interceptions during a run at the Super Bowl in 2022, former Florida defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson has signed a "prove-it deal" in free agency.

Former Florida defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, one of the NFL's premier free agents this offseason, is signing a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday evening.

The deal is worth up to $8 million with $6.5 million fully guaranteed at signing, Gardner-Johnson's agent Kevin Conner confirmed with Pelissero. Should he make full earnings on the contract, Gardner-Johnson's 2023 annual average salary would currently rank 20th in the NFL among safeties. 

Considering Gardner-Johnson finished the 2022 regular season tied for the league lead in interceptions with six, that ranking is pretty hard to fathom.

Gardner-Johnson was a prominent member of a Philadelphia defense that, paired with dynamic quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense, made a run to Bowl LVII only to fall to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs by three points. 

In addition to his turnovers forced, he posted 67 tackles, five tackles for loss and eight pass breakups in his debut season with the Eagles following a 2022 preseason trade from the New Orleans Saints.

In four seasons — three with New Orleans, one with Philadelphia — Gardner-Johnson has accumulated 221 tackles, four sacks, 20 tackles for loss, 11 interceptions, 36 pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jeff McLane claims that Gardner-Johnson and his agent rejected a multi-year offer from the Eagles earlier in free agency because they were "looking for more," a plan that appeared to backfire and result in Gardner-Johnson signing a "prove-it deal" elsewhere.

If that is the case, Gardner-Johnson will at least have familiar coaches around him to put him in position for a bigger pay-day next offseason. In Detroit, he will reunite with former Saints' assistant head coach Dan Campbell and defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn, now the Lions' head coach and defensive coordinator, respectively. The trio spent the 2019-20 seasons together in New Orleans.

"Understand why you're here, so you can do the things you need to do to go to the next level." - C.J. Gardner-Johnson

🎥 @CGJXXIII tours James W. "Bill" Heavener Football Training Center pic.twitter.com/YZ92GzZe4H

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) March 9, 2023

Gardner-Johnson made his way back to Gainesville not long after the Eagles Super Bowl defeat, in March, to check out Florida's new Heavener Football Training Center for the first time and catch up with head coach Billy Napier.

"I love Florida," Gardner-Johnson said during his tour, via Gators social media. "I'm here, I'm back. I'm here to help any player [and] student here. I got advice on financials, on the field, off the field. So, go Gators!"

During his three-year Florida career, Gardner-Johnson tallied nine interceptions with three pick-sixes, 12 pass breakups, 161 total tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks across 37 appearances and 26 starts. He was memorably named Defensive MVP of his final game with the team, a 41-15 victory over Michigan in the 2018 Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.

Gardner-Johnson's Cocoa (Fla.) High teammate and fellow class of 2016 Gators signee, offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, signed a lucrative four-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Both players declared for the 2019 NFL Draft following productive junior seasons at Florida, former head coach Dan Mullen's first season in charge in 2018. 

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