Texans newcomer C.J. Gardner-Johnson named top 15 safety for 2025 season
Texans newcomer C.J. Gardner-Johnson named top 15 safety for 2025 season
C.J. Gardner-Johnson might be new to the Houston Texans, but he's well-versed in seeing his name on Pro Football Focus' list among safeties.
Gardner-Johnson, who was acquired by the Texans earlier this offseason from the Philadelphia Eagles, came in at No. 13 on PFF's top 32 safeties list. Despite being a newcomer in H-Town, his ability to make plays on the football and force incompletions will come in handy for DeMeco Ryans' defense this fall.
"Gardner-Johnson put together the best season of his career in 2024 — and not just because he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with the Eagles," PFF's Zoltán Buday wrote. "His 1,170 snaps were a career high, as was his 77.0 PFF overall grade that ranked 14th among safeties. The now-Texan's 85.7 PFF coverage grade last season placed sixth among 96 qualifying safeties."
Acquired in exchange for offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a Day 3 pick, Gardner-Johnson is supposed to be the missing piece to a secondary that ranked top 10 in takeaways and coverage last season. He's been consistent in coverage, totaling 11 interceptions during his last two stints with the Eagles.
While the Texans should feel content at the cornerback position after an All-Pro season from Derek Stingley Jr., they need stability at safety. Rookie Calen Bullock still has room to improve and Jimmie Ward has dealt with two season-ending injuries since his arrival in 2023.
The Texans also need a culture-changer in the locker room to promote that 'SWARM' mentality Ryans preaches. In a brief time, Gardner-Johnson has carried that mantle with grace.
"He's one hell of a ball player," cornerback Kamari Lassiter said on Tuesday following OTAs. "He really understands the game. He's played for a long time and he comes with his own energy. He just comes with his own passion and it affects the players around him. You can see, just watching this film, how his energy and how he talks and how he plays the game, it affects people around him, whether it's on the opposite side of the ball or whether it's on his side of the ball.'
The Texans open the season against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 7.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The New York Jets have perhaps the best cornerback in the NFL in Sauce Gardner.
The New York Jets have perhaps the best cornerback in the NFL in Sauce Gardner. originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets have taken a lot of pride in their defense over the past several seasons, especially their ability to defend the pass. Advertisement And there is one player who really shines in that area. In a recent article by PFF's John Kosko, he ranks who he believes are the top 32 cornerbacks in the league heading into the 2025 season. At the top spot in his list, he has Jets superstar Sauce Gardner. "Gardner's 91.9 PFF coverage grade since 2022 leads the league. He has forced a league-high 46 incompletions and allowed a league-low 0.60 yards per cover snap and 21.4% first-down-plus-touchdown rate over that span," Kosko wrote. "Unsurprisingly, Gardner's PFF advanced coverage grade ranks first, as well. While he might not shadow opposing wide receivers at a high rate, he has excelled when asked to do so." He had a bit of a slower season in 2024, but so did the rest of the Jets. With that being said, he has racked up some impressive stats in just three seasons in the league. Advertisement Gardner was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, as well as being named First Team All-Pro in both of his first two seasons. He also led the NFL in passes defended in his rookie year with 20, which goes to show just how good the 24-year-old corner already is. He will be looking to bounce back from his slightly disappointing 2024 and prove that he is still worthy of the title of the best cornerback in the NFL. Related: Jets' 'Up And Comers' Running Back Room Poised For Breakout Year? Related: Jets Among Biggest Winners of June 1 Cap Update This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
"They took a lot of cheap shots, too" - Magic Johnson on why Michael Jordan is still angry the Pistons refused to shake hands
"They took a lot of cheap shots, too" - Magic Johnson on why Michael Jordan is still angry the Pistons refused to shake hands originally appeared on Basketball Network. The Detroit Pistons walked off the court in 1991 without offering Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls a handshake after a series sweep in the Eastern Conference finals. It wasn't just a sore-loser moment but the climax of years of bruises, elbows, bitter quotes and a brand of basketball that was as unapologetic as it was effective. Advertisement The moment carries so much weight, especially for Jordan, who, decades later, brought back the distaste he had for Isiah Thomas and his Pistons side for that unsportsmanlike act. The Pistons' antics Magic Johnson had battled the same Detroit side on more than one occasion, and he knew exactly the animosity that built up between Jordan and the Bad Boys. "Because the Pistons were so physical — and they took a lot of cheap shots, too, so — I can understand why Michael was upset," Johnson said. "Because we played against them twice…they took a lot of cheap shots. But that's how they played. They were a rough, tough team, one of the best defensive teams that ever played." Back then, the Pistons were built to wear opponents down. Led by Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman, Detroit beat and broke opponents, physically and psychologically. From 1988 to 1990, they won back-to-back NBA titles by swarming stars, double-teaming on the perimeter and delivering hard fouls in the paint. Advertisement Their defense was historically elite: in the 1989–90 season, they held opponents to just 98.3 points per game (second-best in the league) and boasted the highest defensive rating (101.9). Johnson had his own scars from playing Detroit. In the 1988 NBA Finals, his Los Angeles Lakers barely escaped in seven games. The Pistons made every possession a fight. Laimbeer's sneaky elbows, Rodman's relentless energy, Rick Mahorn's post presence. It was rough. But Johnson also knew that Jordan, at that point in his career, wasn't just fighting for titles but wanted respect. Each hit Jordan took from Detroit in the late '80s chipped away at the flash-and-finesse image he carried from North Carolina and his early years in the league. Detroit dared him to earn his greatness the hard way. Advertisement For three straight postseasons, they stopped the Bulls cold. Jordan Rules. That's what it came down to. A defensive strategy designed to contain, bully and frustrate Jordan. They'd force him left, hit him on drives, deny him post space. And it worked. Until it didn't. Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good Jordan's comeback In 1991, the Bulls finally figured it out. Chicago swept Detroit 4–0 in the Eastern Conference finals. Jordan dropped 29.8 points per game in the series, while Scottie Pippen emerged as a legitimate star. And then, before the final buzzer sounded in Game 4, Detroit walked off. No congratulations. No eye contact. Just a quiet exit past the Bulls' bench and straight into NBA infamy. Advertisement The Pistons' refusal to acknowledge that moment with a handshake wasn't just bad sportsmanship. It was a refusal to concede. To Jordan, it was personal. Johnson understands the DNA of rivalries. The Lakers-Celtics wars of the 1980s taught him what grudges could do to legends. But even he acknowledges that the Bulls-Pistons feud hit differently. "For Michael," Johnson said, "that was a bitter rivalry for both those teams and even today, they still hate each other. But the great thing is, I think the Pistons made Michael Jordan the G.O.A.T." The physicality Detroit forced upon Jordan reshaped his body and game. He added muscle. He learned to pick his spots. He transformed into a player who could take punishment and still be close. By 1991, he was the league's best player, and he was punishing defenders in return. Advertisement That year marked the start of Chicago's first three-peat. Six titles followed and a legacy was cemented. But beneath all the rings and trophies, that walk-off moment still lingers. In "The Last Dance," Jordan makes it clear he hasn't forgotten about the walk-off decades later. Legacy cuts both ways. The Pistons are remembered as villains, but also as champions who set the standard for physical dominance. Jordan is remembered as the greatest — but also as the man who climbed through Detroit's fire to get there. Related: "They already had Clyde Drexler, and he was a Jordan-type player" - Bulls GM that drafted MJ explained why Portland passed up on Michael Jordan This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Cowboys RB room may have surprise candidate to start in $18.7 million reclamation
Cowboys RB room may have surprise candidate to start in $18.7 million reclamation The Dallas Cowboys have added four new running backs into the mix, almost completely turning over their backfield this offseason. With two free agents and two draft picks joining the fray, many are left wondering who the lead runner will be for 2025. While veteran RB Javonte Williams and fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue have gotten most of the attention, it wouldn't be wise to underestimate Miles Sanders' potential role in the Cowboys' backfield. The veteran RB has impressed the coaching staff and practice observers during the recent rounds of OTAs. Brian Schottenheimer spoke highly of the free agent pickup and says no one should be surprised by Sanders' play. That's high praise. With Schottenheimer looking for playmakers and a RB who excels out of the backfield as a receiver, Sanders looks like he's got a legitimate shot at becoming the starter. There wasn't much fanfare when Sanders signed with the Cowboys, but he could wind up playing a big role in the offense. Schottenheimer's right; no one should be shocked about Sanders' ability. The former Philadelphia Eagle has had the most success of anyone currently on the Cowboys' roster as the only RB in Dallas with a 1,000-yard season under his belt. The recently turned 28-year-old runner is also the only double-digit touchdown scorer in the team's backfield. In 2022, Sanders ran for a career high 1,269 yards and 11 scores on his way to a Pro Bowl selection. However, since Sanders has left the Eagles, his production has dipped significantly. The Carolina Panthers signed him to a four-year, $25 million deal after his monster season but in the two years with the team, Sanders has run for a combined 637 yards and three touchdowns. For first time in his career, Sanders has also been under four yards a carry in his two years with the Panthers. While his time in Carolina wasn't good, it's important to have some context. The team was working in a rookie quarterback when Sanders arrived, and he was running behind a subpar offensive line for the last few seasons. The Panthers also went through two different offensive schemes and two head coaches during his time there, none of which is conducive for success. He might have flopped at his last stop, but Sanders was a second-round pick who can play and had success with the Eagles. He might be the oldest RB in the room for the Cowboys, but he also doesn't have much wear and tear. Sanders has only eclipsed 200 carries once in his career (259 in 2022) and has just 184 totes in the last two years combined, including a measly 55 in 11 games last season. There should be plenty of juice left in Sanders' legs. It's only June and these are glorified practices, but when training camp does arrive, no one should be surprised if Miles Sanders makes an impact. The veteran RB no longer looks like an afterthought for the Cowboys. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
