Bear Digest

Ben Johnson thinks Bears can rein in new DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Bears coach says they're aware of defensive acquisition's past but will lean on their veterans in the locker room to make it work.
Gene Chamberlain|
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) tries to make a play for the Saints while playing under Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) tries to make a play for the Saints while playing under Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. | Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears


Bringing in defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, or CJ Gardner-Johnson as he is known, can lead to a volatile mix and the Bears are trying to limit this.

The franchise has experience with Gardner-Johnson as an instigator in past fights and in three seasons under Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen defenses in New Orleans he committed 21 penalties, including four for unnecessary roughness, a roughing the kicker, lowering the head to initiate contact, two unsportsmanlike conducts calls and an ejection.

His chicanery led to the ejection from games for Bears receivers Javon Wims and Anthony Miller in two 2020 meetings with the Saints, the second one a playoff game. He was also involved in making fun of Tarik Cohen's lack of height.

"D.A. knew him when he was a young player," Bears coach Ben Johnson explained. "He hasn't been with him for a number of years. And then I had a short little crossover period with him.

"We did due diligence. We talked to people he's been around recently. It was one  of those moves that we felt comfortable with where we're at as a team right now, where CJ's at in his career, that it's a good fit."

Johnson acknowledges the injury situation in the secondary was primarily the reason for adding a player who had been cut by Baltimore and Houston this season after the Eagles traded him following the 2024 season. The top three cornerbacks are currently sidelined for the Bears, with Tyrique Stevenson probably due back first. He has missed one game with a shoulder injury.

"Well, as you can tell we've had some injuries over the course of the last  few weeks," Johnson said. "Our injury report last week was pretty healthy and then this week, same thing. We had a lot of, you know, we've got guys dinged up and in and out. So, we have an opportunity and he was available. He's a good football player.

"You know, there's a number of us that have been with him in the past and so it's a good fit."

Johnson's own familiarity in Detroit with Gardner-Johnson was limited.

"Yeah, you know he ended up going on IR there for a long time and so all I know is he's a competitive player," Johnson said. "You know, felt that during training camp that year that I was with him, early in the season and then he came back late in the season, it's the same thing. He loves being on the grass and playing football.

"So, we'll make sure that we have a good support system for him. You know, he's got a family. He's got kids that are important to him. So, we just want to make sure that we support him the best we can."

By support system, he means a veteran locker room that can  sort out problems on its own.

"Well, we've got a very strong locker room," Johnson said. "We've got a positive veteran influence in there. I feel very strongly about that group and nothing is more important than our locker to be clear with you.

"That's certainly first and foremost of any decision we make of who we bring in or who we let go. And so, I think we're all aware of how important that is and the fit that he has with this locker room."

The move to sign Gardner-Johnson was made to plug him in at slot  cornerback, where Johnson says they hope to get Kyler Gordon back within four weeks from a groin injury. They used Nick McCloud in the slot last week.

Despite all of the past penalty situations, no less an expert than Eagles GM Howie Roseman brought him in twice in the past three seasons or depth purposes and got 16 starts from him in a 2024 Lombard Trophy-winning season.

Putting Gardner-Johnson at the slot could be a bit of a gamble even if he played the position for Allen in New Orleans, because he hasn't been a slot cornerback since then. He became a safety with the Eagles and played there briefly in Detroit in 2023.

"We'll lock him in in one spot and have him learn the defense, you know," Johnson said.

"Obviously, he's been with D.A. and so he should have some familiarity but he's also bounced around to a few different other systems over the last few years and so we'll see how quickly it comes back to him and whether he'll be ready to go this week or not."

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.