C.J. Gardner-Johnson has brought a much-needed fire to the Bears defense and the energy is starting to become contagious
He’s been a beast since joining this defense.
There was an obvious concern from the outside when the Chicago Bears signed free agent defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson amid all the injuries to the secondary and it had nothing to do with his play.
Gardner-Johnson had burned some bridges around the league with his short fuse and competitive nature that sometimes build up on his own coaches and teammates. When the decision was made to bring him in, head coach Ben Johnson pointed toward the team’s strong locker room as a sign that things would work out as intended in Chicago.
“Now he’s here with a bunch of guys rooting for him,” Johnson said after the Bears’ Week 10 win. “He’s grateful for the opportunity. It gives you just a greater sense of appreciation. He’s always been a phenomenal football player. I think he’s found a good home here in Chicago. Our guys are gravitating toward his swagger and play-making ability. I think he’s quickly becoming one of us.”
It’s fair to say C.J. Gardner-Johnson is the Bears biggest defensive addition this season
It’s only been two games since being signed by the Bears and Gardner-Johnson has made his presence felt reuniting with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
In those two games, Gardner-Johnson has totaled three sacks, a forced fumble, and 15 combined tackles (12 solo). His three sacks is already the third-most on the team, ahead of two high-priced free agent additions on the defensive line in Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett.
“It’s just a blessing to be here,” Gardner-Johnson said. “Like I said, I was home for a month and a half. And there is… scrutiny. But when you’re around a great group of people, a great group of coaches that believe in you, I think all that goes out the window when they can see the person. Then you come in and just adapt and adjust and come in and play right away and make an impact on the team.”
Week 10 was one of Gardner-Johnson’s best games in terms of bringing an impact. It started in the first quarter when he came free off the right side on a blitz to sack rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart for a loss of eight yards. His biggest play, however, came in the third quarter.
Dart, who had been killing Chicago defensively with his legs, scrambled for seven yards on second-and-six. After initiating contact, Gardner-Johnson forced the ball free from Dart, giving the ball back to the Bears offense at a critical time.
“I got tired of him running the ball,” Gardner-Johnson said. “So that was it, made a play. No disrespect, it’s just like, aggravating, when he breaks for 20, 50 yards and you’re playing great coverage. So, had to find a way to get off the field and get the ball out of his hands eventually.”
That play sent a jolt to the entire defense and while the Bears didn’t capitalize with points on offense, something quarterback Caleb Williams mentioned was a big regret he had after the game, Chicago only allowed three more points defensively after that play.
Gardner-Johnson put a stamp on his incredible performance late in the fourth when he sacked backup quarterback Russell Wilson on third-down. That stop gave the ball back to the offense and allowed Williams to lead the unit down the field on a game-winning drive.
“I love what C.J. brings to the table right now,” Johnson added. “You feel him out there. He is a football player. He loves to be competing and he finds himself around the ball quite a bit. I think we all appreciate that.”
He’s been a star for this Chicago defense and the coaches’ decision to acquire a guy like that went against everything this front office would have normally done. It was the right call and it was the perfect time to make that kind of move.
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