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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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In a quick roster swing, the Chicago Bears signed veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the active roster on Wednesday after a Tuesday visit, according to his agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of Universal Sports & Entertainment Mgmt.
The Bears sit at 4-3 and in contention for the NFC North title, but have been hit by massive injuries in the secondary, with starters Terell Smith, Jaylon Johnson, and Kyler Gordon all being placed on IR, leaving the team thin at both outside and slot positions.
While Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard will likely remain the starters at safety, Gardner-Johnson has a track record of creating turnovers at the slot and nickel position, making him an immediate impact player.
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The move also reunites him with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who coached Gardner-Johnson with the New Orleans Saints from 2019-21.
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A 2019 fourth-round pick (No. 105 overall) out of Florida, Gardner-Johnson has logged extensive snaps at safety, slot corner, and nickel — the kind of hybrid role Allen favored during Gardner-Johnson’s early Saints years.
Through seven NFL seasons, he’s accumulated 319 total tackles, 51 passes defended, 22 tackles for loss, 18 interceptions, 15 QB hits, and two forced fumbles across 77 games.
Gardner-Johnson led the NFL with six interceptions in 2022 with the Philadelphia Eagles, and after a year with the Detroit Lions, returned to Philly last season to capture his first Super Bowl ring.
After being traded to the Houston Texans in March of this year, Gardner-Johnson appeared in just three games before being released; he then spent a brief time on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad before signing with Chicago.
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Up next, the Bears travel to Paycor Stadium on Sunday for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-5).
The Bengals have recently experienced a midseason boost centered around wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase — who leads the league in receptions (70) and targets (99) and ranks second in receiving yards (720) — and veteran Joe Flacco, making Gardner-Johnson's first potential start a difficult one.
Chicago enters as 2.5-point road favorites with a 52.5-point over/under, one of the highest totals of the week.
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