The Chicago Bears were in a tough spot. Their secondary has been littered with injuries this season. Jaylon Johnson has missed most of the year with a groin problem. Kyler Gordon played only two games due to hamstring and calf setbacks. Terell Smith was lost in the preseason to a knee injury. It's been one setback after another. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson knew they had to do something. So they took a recommendation from defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and signed veteran CJ Gardner-Johnson.
It was a risk. While the 27-year-old had some outstanding seasons in Philadelphia, he was known for being a bit of a locker room problem. He was a notorious trash talker who got under the skin of everyone, teammates and opponents alike. Still, the Bears felt it was worth the risk.
Seems they were right. Gardner-Johnson has been with the team for barely two weeks. In that time, he became only the second defensive back in NFL history to register three or more sacks in his first two games. He also tied for the NFL lead for sacks among defensive backs.
CJ Gardner-Johnson could be the most impactful midseason signing in years.
Name the last player the Bears added midway through a year that instantly altered the landscape of a unit. You can't. That is how long it's been since something like this has happened. Players like CJ Gardner-Johnson are almost never available this time of year. When they are, it's often for one of three reasons: health, money, or personality issues. Gardner-Johnson fell in that last category. Only desperate teams take chances on players with that kind of reputation.
Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Thankfully, the Bears brought two advantages to the table. They have a defensive coordinator who helped develop Gardner-Johnson in New Orleans. Allen knows what the defensive back can do and how to get the most out of him. Second, the team is winning. Gardner-Johnson tends to behave when that happens.
