Chicago Bears’ latest signing might signal a shift in dynamics in the organization with Ben Johnson calling the shots
This isn’t a signing general manager Ryan Poles would have normally made.
The Chicago Bears have been hard at work this week, adding reinforcements to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit following the Week 8 loss to the Tyler Huntley-led Baltimore Ravens.
With injuries stacking on the defensive line and in the secondary, the Bears activated defensive end Austin Booker to the active roster off the injured reserve on Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday morning, the Bears signed free agent defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the 53-man roster.
The activation of Booker was expected, and something the coaching staff should have done a week earlier. The signing of Gardner-Johnson was more of a surprise, and it has to do more with the player himself than the position he’s expected to play in Chicago.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson signing isn’t a move you’d expect to see out of GM Ryan Poles
After placing standout cornerback Kyler Gordon on the injured reserve over the weekend, the Bears had a clear need at the nickel position on defense. But the team had limited options unless the front office and coaching staff pursued a trade using future draft capital, something the team seems opposed to for the 2025 season.
Landing Gardner-Johnson off the open market is the best of both worlds from an addition standpoint. The Bears snagged a starting-caliber nickel to replace Gordon for the short term, with experience in Allen’s system, while not giving up future picks. Seems like the ideal signing, right?
But when you look at the player himself, it’s clear this isn’t something general manager Ryan Poles would normally do. Since trading for wide receiver Chase Claypool and the locker room disaster that followed, Poles has been wary of the type of players he brings into the locker room.
Even before the Claypool trade, Poles opted to draft two defensive backs in Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, passing on a talented wide receiver in George Pickens due to his character red flags. In the 2023 NFL Draft, Poles did the same thing again, passing on defensive tackle Jalen Carter in favor of right tackle Darnell Wright in the first round for the same character concern reasons.
When speaking to the media ahead of the 2025 season, Poles was asked about any additions that could be made down the road (signings or trades), and his answer was telling.
“We’re also trying to find, is it the right culture fit?” Poles explained. “There’s more levels to it than just grabbing the talent and bringing it in. There’s some impact things that happen in your locker room and on the field, and your salary cap. Yeah, it can give you a burst of energy, but long term, does it make sense for you or is it going to be a derailer down the road?”
There are some clear red flags with C.J. Gardner-Johnson
This leads us to the signing of Gardner-Johnson, making Chicago the fourth team in the calendar year to swing on the upside he brings, while also taking on the risk he brings.
In February, Gardner-Johnson was on the field for the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. A little over a month later, the Eagles shipped Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in a move to provide cap relief ahead of the draft, or so everyone thought.
“Scared of a competitor,” Gardner-Johnson said when asked why he was traded from Philadelphia on The Pivot podcast. “Simple as that.”
Gardner-Johnson went on to describe a practice scrum he got into with teammates during the postseason, after noting he lost some support from the coaching staff when he was ejected against the Washington Commanders earlier in the season. Unfortunately, it’s a common behavior.
Throughout his career, Gardner-Johnson has been a fiery and outspoken competitor, a combination that can be great as long as it’s controlled and problematic if it’s not; the latter usually has been the case for Gardner-Johnson.
Before re-joining the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson was in Detroit alongside his new head coach and former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. His tenure with the Lions lasted three games after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. After leaving in free agency, Gardner-Johnson reflected on his time, saying he was “lied to” and became the “villain of the team,” leading him to sign back in Philly.
Flash forward to the trade to Houston, it seemed like a logical fit in head coach DeMeco Ryans’ high-energy, hard-nosed scheme. Yet, three games into the regular season, Gardner-Johnson was released due to “criticism of teammates” and “complaints about his role” with the Texans.
So, Gardner-Johnson was back on the market and in early October signed with the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. Another stint that ended in a “mutual decision” after just one week, again pointing to the reasoning toward his fit on defense.
Which now leads Gardner-Johnson to Chicago, and with everything considered, it’s clear this signing was more of a Johnson and Allen decision than a Poles decision.
But the fact of the matter is, Gardner-Johnson is a capable player in a role that fits his strengths and desires. Chicago, after Gordon’s injury, offered Gardner-Johnson the role as a starting defensive back, and we’ll see what the results are after that.
Chicago Bears News
Bears fill a major need with the open roster spot in a way that will make Dennis Allen happy, without having to use any draft picks
The Chicago Bears signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the active roster.
