Former Texans S C.J. Gardner-Johnson Signs With New Team

Recently-released Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has found a new home heading into Week 6 of the NFL season.

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens will be signing free agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to their practice squad, per his agent, Kevin Conner of Universal Sports Management.

Free-agent safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is signing with Ravens practice squad, per his agent Kevin Conner of @unisportsmgmt.

Gardner-Johnson still gets his fully guaranteed 2025 salary with the Texans so there is little financial impact for the Ravens. pic.twitter.com/InJnQ6c2wi
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 7, 2025

Gardner-Johnson will still be receiving his fully guaranteed salary from when on the Texans following his release, so the Ravens have the feasibility to sign him onto their active roster without many financial hurdles.

For now, he'll be brought onto their practice squad before they face the Los Angeles Rams for Week 6.

Gardner-Johnson, who was acquired by the Texans earlier this summer in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, was on Houston's roster for only a brief period during the 2025 season before being released following their Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The veteran safety was rumored to have some behind-the-scenes issues with the Texans' locker room and their defensive scheme, and in due time, would find himself cut to reside on the open market for a couple of weeks, to now have landed back on his feet in Baltimore to fill in as a hopeful spark for their defensive unit.

During his three games while stationed in Houston, Gardner-Johnson started all three contests to secure 15 combined tackles, with no interceptions passes defended.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) is tackled by Houston Texans safety CJ. Gardner-Johnson (8) during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Prior to his time with the Texans, Gardner-Johnson was a starting piece on a championship Eagles roster, where he played 16 games to log 59 tackles, 12 passes defended, and six interceptions en route to the first Super Bowl ring of his career, then dealt a month later in exchange for former Houston first-round pick Kenyon Green.

Gardner-Johnson won't get a chance to face his former team in the Texans this season, as the two just faced off in Week 5's eventual Houston blowout, but he'll fill in as a piece in the secondary to help get the Ravens’ season back on track after falling to one of the worst defenses within the first quarter of the year, a 1-4 start, and fresh off a demoralizing 44-10 loss to the Texans.

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