By Dianna Russini, Brooks Kubena, Adam Coleman and RJ Kraft
The Athletic has live coverage of NFL free agency. Track all the latest moves here.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans have come together for a trade that sees defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson heading to Houston with offensive guard Kenyon Green heading back to Philadelphia, according to a league source. The deal also sees the teams swap future Day 3 picks with the Eagles acquiring a 2026 fifth-round selection and the Texans adding a 2026 sixth-round choice, according to a league source.
The trade marks the end of Gardner-Johnson’s second stint with Philadelphia. He had signed a three-year, $27 million deal in 2024. In the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning season, Gardner-Johnson had six interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 12 pass breakups, one forced fumble and 59 tackles. He also played for Philadelphia in 2022, where he had another six-interception season.
In addition to the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson has played for the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions across six seasons. He has 18 career interceptions, 51 pass breakups and 304 tackles.
— C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) March 11, 2025
In the opening days of free agency, Philadelphia has seen defensive tackle Milton Williams (New England Patriots) and edge rusher Josh Sweat (Arizona Cardinals) agree to deals elsewhere. The team is also set to release cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry.
Gardner-Johnson, who turns 28 in December, brings an edge and veteran experience to a young Houston safety that is brimming with talent in cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter and safety Calen Bullock. Last season, the Texans had the second-most interceptions in the league (19), ranked fifth in total defense and sixth in pass defense.
Green, who was a first-round selection with the No. 15 pick by the Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft, comes to the Eagles after three seasons in Houston. In 2022 and 2024, the 6-foot-4, 325-pound offensive guard totaled 23 starts and played in 27 games. He missed the entirety of the 2023 season with a shoulder injury. With Mekhi Becton — last year’s starting right guard — on the free agent market, Green adds depth and a potential starter to the league’s best offensive line.
Houston continues its offensive line makeover with the trade. The Texans agreed to deal five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders on Monday, according to a league source.
What will the Eagles do at safety?
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman makes his most resounding move of the offseason yet, and it’s one with multiple ramifications. It’s an interesting move because Roseman signed Gardner-Johnson last year in a concerted effort to improve a secondary that was dreadful in 2023. Gardner-Johnson delivered in 2024. On a secondary that cut significantly down on allowing 20-plus yard completions, Gardner-Johnson led the team with six interceptions, including a pick-six. He also made key tackles within the box and had two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
By trading Gardner-Johnson away, the Eagles now have a vacancy at safety next to Reed Blankenship, who’s entering the final season of his contract. What was once one of the more stable position groups on the roster is now one that carries plenty of questions. Who will start at safety? Sydney Brown, a 2023 third-round pick, is entering his first full offseason after returning from an ACL tear last season. Tristin McCollum also fulfilled a backup role throughout last season. Free agency is also flush with safety options, plus draft prospects, and it would behoove the Eagles to add another safety to the mix.
A lasting question will be why the Eagles parted with Gardner-Johnson only a year after acquiring him. Roseman has been trying to balance his budget after splurging last offseason, and the Eagles just re-signed All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun and made Saquon Barkley the NFL’s highest-paid running back. Those moves prevented them from retaining Williams, Sweat, defensive back Isaiah Rodgers and linebacker Oren Burks, who all reached agreements with other teams on Monday. — Brooks Kubena, Eagles beat writer
What are the cap implications of the deal for Philly?
Gardner-Johnson was scheduled to count as $4.9 million against the cap in 2025, according to Over the Cap. However, trading Gardner-Johnson will only bring the Eagles $211,000 in cap savings for the 2025 season. He was also scheduled to be a $6 million cap hit in 2026, which would’ve made up for just 2 percent of the team’s overall cap.
The savings appear nominal, particularly paired with the acquisition of Green, whose cap hit in 2025 ($5 million) will be more than Gardner-Johnson’s. Green is also entering the final year of his rookie contract, and it would’ve been surprising to see the Texans pick up his fifth-year option based on his performance. The Eagles will need to address Green’s contract sooner than they would have with Gardner-Johnson. By clearing Gardner-Johnson from their books, the Eagles have more room to eventually extend Blankenship, and Brown won’t represent more than a $1.8 million cap hit through 2026. — Kubena
How Green fits in on the Eagles O-line
The deal also helps fulfill another potential loss in free agency. Becton could soon join Williams, Sweat, Rodgers and Burks by signing a lucrative deal with another team. Acquiring Green adds another interior lineman to the mix to replace Becton in 2025. Green was part of the 2022 draft-day trade between the Texans and Eagles in which the Eagles traded up to No. 13 to select defensive tackle Jordan Davis. The Texans picked Green at No. 15.
Green struggled during his rookie season, missed the 2023 season with an injured shoulder and started in nine games in 2024. He’ll need refining. He’ll be another pupil for position coach Jeff Stoutland to mold. The trade signals the Eagles are prepared to lose Becton, and Green can enter a competition with Tyler Steen and 2024 fifth-round pick Trevor Keegan for the right guard spot. — Kubena
Houston bolsters secondary, continues O-line makeover
Houston’s offensive line will look very different in 2025 as the team is releasing right guard Shaq Mason, trading star left tackle Tunsil to the Commanders and now sending left guard Green to the Eagles. Green was a disappointment in Houston since he was drafted in the first round in 2022. He had a decorated college career out of Texas A&M but was either injured or played poorly during his time with the Texans.
As a rookie, Green allowed 47 quarterback pressures, four sacks and 12 quarterback hits while also committing 12 penalties. He suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason in 2023, knocking him out for that season. The 2024 season was more of the same between injury and poor play, which certainly didn’t help an already beleaguered Texans offensive line. However, Green gets a fresh start with one of the best offensive line coaches in the league in Stoutland.
Meanwhile, this is a coup for the Texans’ secondary. Stingley is an All-Pro cornerback, creating one of the league’s better duos with the young and talented Lassiter. Bullock, a 2024 third-round pick, made a PFWA All-Rookie Team after nabbing five interceptions. Now add Gardner-Johnson, who had six interceptions himself last season, and an already strong Texans defense gets stronger with a top-level secondary. — Adam Coleman, NFL editor
(Photo: Gregory Shamus/ Getty Images)
