C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade grades: Rating Texans’ blockbuster move for Eagles’ Super Bowl star

The Philadelphia Eagles made another surprising move on Tuesday when they parted ways with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a key piece in their Super Bowl LIX victory run. After returning following a season in Detroit, Gardner-Johnson made an immediate impact, improving the Eagles' secondary and becoming a leader in the locker room.

Unfortunately, Gardner-Johnson's tenure with the defending NFL champions came to an end after he was dealt to the Houston Texans in exchange for guard Kenyon Green and a 2026 sixth-round draft selection.

It was a surprising move where there appears to be a clear winner. Check out the grades for this trade.

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Grading C.J. Gardner-Johnson's trade from Eagles to Texans

Texans: B

The Houston Texans sent a former No. 15 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles but tried hard to see if Kenyon Green could become the player they expected. The guard suffered injuries and couldn't take his game to the next level, instantly becoming a trade chip after the 2024 season.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, on the other side, is a terrific safety with plenty left on the tank. The Texans have more positions to focus on and fix, but this is a good start to try to create an elite defense. Nevertheless, they still need to surround C.J. Stroud with the right talent.

Eagles: D

The Philadelphia Eagles' secondary was terrible in 2023, which prompted the front office to go out and see which players could impact and put them closer to the Vince Lombardi trophy. After a single season with the Detroit Lions, C.J. Gardner Johnson returned to Philadelphia where he won a Super Bowl.

Many were shocked to see him get traded, but it appears to be a financial move more than anything else.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson: B

C.J. Gardner-Johnson's final days in Philly weren't the best, as he was caught in a back-and-forth with former teammate Darius Slay, who talked about who could be the leader of the Eagles' secondary and ignored Gardner-Johnson.

He's now free of that drama and set to start a new chapter in his career. Gardner-Johnson could become a leader from Day 1 and try to help the Texans to a victory he earned in 2024.

This is a good move for Gardner-Johnson, who's still young and has plenty to give to the game. The Texans still need to make moves to become contenders, but it's a terrific start.