Bills Cut Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson After One-Game Suspension
The 28-year-old veteran was released on Tuesday following a spitting incident and inconsistent defensive numbers this season.
By Amina Kaminski ·
The Buffalo Bills released veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday. The move occurred just days after he returned from a one-game suspension. The league had suspended Gardner-Johnson for a spitting incident that took place during Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
NFL on CBS cameras captured the 28-year-old spitting in the direction of Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and center Tyler Linderbaum. Officials flagged the play for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected him from that game. He served the resulting suspension during last Sunday's victory over the Baltimore Ravens, which followed Buffalo's Week 7 bye.
ESPN reports that the release was driven more by defensive performance than the spitting incident. The organization reportedly felt frustrated by inconsistent plays in the secondary. Through six games this season, Gardner-Johnson has allowed a 64.7 percent completion rate and an 83.5 passer rating against him.
Damar Hamlin started in Gardner-Johnson's place last week and is positioned to take over the role permanently. Hamlin recorded five tackles and a pass defense in the win over Baltimore. Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year contract worth $6 million with Buffalo in March.
Gardner-Johnson entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2019. He played three seasons with the Saints before trading to the Philadelphia Eagles in the summer of 2022. Since then, he has played for the Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, and Chicago Bears before joining Buffalo this offseason.
