Eagles trading safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Texans for former first-round OL Kenyon Green, draft pick swap

C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned to the Philadelphia Eagles and promptly won a Super Bowl to wrap up the 2024 season. Now the outspoken safety is headed elsewhere again. One day ahead of the official start of 2025 NFL free agency, the Eagles are trading the veteran defender to the Houston Texans, CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirms.

In return for Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick, the Texans are sending offensive guard Kenyon Green and a 2026 fifth-rounder to the Eagles. It marks the second trade of a starting offensive lineman for Houston in as many days, after the Texans reportedly agreed to send left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders, the Eagles' NFC East rivals.

Gardner-Johnson initially joined the Eagles via trade in 2022 and immediately brought both physicality and playmaking to Philly's secondary, logging six interceptions in just 12 games en route to a Super Bowl appearance. A contract dispute saw him leave for the Detroit Lions in 2023, only to return to the Eagles on a three-year deal last offseason. Gardner-Johnson emerged as a leader for the Eagles' top-ranked defense in 2024, once again securing six interceptions and this time helping the Birds win the Super Bowl.

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Jordan Dajani

Green, who comes to the Eagles as part of Gardner-Johnson's latest relocation, was a first-round pick of the Texans in 2022. Still just 23, he's missed extensive time due to injury over the last two seasons, including the entire 2023 campaign, but logged 23 combined starts for Houston's front out of Texas A&M. He figures to step in as a starter in place of interior veteran Mekhi Becton, who hit free agency this week.