Bills Sparkling Free-Agent Addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson Turning Heads at Buffalo's OTAs

One of the Buffalo Bills’ most critical offseason additions came in the form of free-agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who is already making an impact at the team’s OTAs this spring.

The Bills resumed their offseason program this week, which runs June 1 through 4 before mandatory minicamp on June 9 through 11, and new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard lauded Gardner-Johnson as an immediate difference-maker as Buffalo enters a new era of leadership.

“He’s loud, he brings energy,” Leonhard said of the seven-year veteran. “The day-to-day, the workouts, the meetings, he’s a guy who loves being in the building. He’s trying to be a leader, man.”

Leonhard added, “He really wants to be that. It’s so—it’s exciting being able to work with guys that really want to be in front of the room and talk and hold people accountable.”

While there was some trepidation when the Bills signed a volatile personality such as the former Super Bowl champion, but things appear to be going swimmingly thus far.

Gardner-Johnson’s strong voice with Bills

Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (8) with the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl LIX championship parade and rally. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 28-year-old defensive back has seemingly been around the world and back throughout his NFL career, which has included stops with five different teams, including four over the past three seasons. Leonhard acknowledged that, with a player such as Gardner-Johnson, there can be negatives involving their outspoken nature.

But according to the team’s first-year defensive coordinator, who needs players such as the 5-foot-11, 210-pound safety to help generate the 3-4 base, attack-style he wants his new unit to feature, the Bills have done a nice job welcoming Gardner-Johnson into the fold.

“I think there's a downside sometimes, right? Where people are a little bit edgy when they're competitive like that,” said Leonhard, citing circumstances that led to Gardner-Johnson’s inability to latch on with a team the last few years.

He continued, “And as a team, you have to understand who you have and the roles that they need to be in. But we're excited about just his passion and energy for the game and what he brings into the building every day.”

The Bills have an experienced group of locker-room leaders, including captains Josh Allen and Terrel Bernard, and that should foster a positive environment in which Gardner-Johnson can thrive in his first season with the team. The veteran is coming off a season in which he finished with 66 tackles, one away from his career high, and a career-best three sacks during his time spent with the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.

Gardner-Johnson brings more than energy

The new Bills’ safety, who is expected to start alongside incumbent Cole Bishop this season, should bring more than his veteran leadership and strong locker room presence to the fold for Buffalo in his first year with the team.

Leonhard is hoping the Bills can force opposing offenses into committing more mistakes this season using a chaotic system that should generate plenty of opportunities for takeaways. That should be music to Gardner-Johnson’s ears, as he has two seasons in which he has previously recorded six interceptions apiece, while he has totaled 20 INTs throughout his seven-year career, an average just shy of three per year.

Bishop led the Bills with three picks a season ago, and welcoming another player who has exhibited a nose for the football should work in the Bills’ favor. That is, if Gardner-Johnson doesn’t fall out of favor in Buffalo, as we have seen from him elsewhere.

With that said, so far, so good, per Leonhard’s comments.

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