Well that’s a little unexpected, but it does make a certain kind of sense. The Detroit Lions will sign former New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year deal valued at up to $8 million, and carrying just $6.5 million in guarantees. It’s hardly the windfall Gardner-Johnson was angling for during last summer’s contract dispute which led to his surprise exit in training camp.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane reports that the Eagles made a long-term contract offer to Gardner-Johnson early in the free agency signing period, but he and his agent expected better offers on the open market and passed on it. The Eagles moved on by investing in cornerbacks James Bradberry and Darius Slay, and other teams weren’t ready to pay top dollar, so Gardner-Johnson settled for a one-year prove-it deal.
