LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears have signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson, adding the veteran safety to their injury-depleted secondary.
Gardner-Johnson's agents told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the well-traveled defensive back visited the Bears on Tuesday. Chicago will be Gardner-Johnson's fourth team since the end of last season.
"I want to win," Gardner-Johnson said. "I won a Super Bowl last year. Sometimes it's not about being the star of the team. Sometimes it's about being the guy that get things done the right way and helping guys get things done the right way."
Gardner-Johnson began the 2025 season in Houston, where he started three games at safety for the Houston Texans before being released Sept. 23, a decision coach DeMeco Ryans said "was the best for our team." The veteran then spent a week on the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad earlier this month but was released in what was described as "an amicable mutual decision."
Gardner-Johnson, 27, joins a Bears (4-3) team that is in playoff contention despite playing without multiple starters in its defensive backfield.
Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson is sidelined indefinitely after undergoing core muscle surgery last month, and starting cornerback Kyler Gordon will miss at least three more games after being placed on injured reserve last week. Chicago also was without cornerback Tyrique Stevenson for Sunday's loss to the Ravens, but he was back at practice Wednesday for the first time since before Week 7 and was limited.
The Bears plan to play Gardner-Johnson at slot corner, with Gordon on IR until at least Week 12. Coach Ben Johnson said the Bears hope that Gordon's groin and calf injuries are "of the short-term variety and we'll be able to get him back here in four weeks or so."
Gardner-Johnson, who will wear No. 35 in Chicago, expressed confidence in his ability to acclimate quickly to his role in a familiar defense.
"I'll see you Sunday," Gardner-Johnson said.
Bears safety Kevin Byard III said Gardner-Johnson took every rep in practice Wednesday and did not anticipate it being difficult to incorporate the veteran defensive back into the secondary.
"He's a phenomenal player in my opinion," Byard said. "I'm a fan of his game. He's going to come in and help us out, and I'm all about winning football."
Gardner-Johnson reunites with Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, whom he played for in New Orleans from 2019 to 2021. Most of Gardner-Johnson's snaps with the Saints came at slot corner before he was traded to Philadelphia in 2022. During his first stint with the Eagles, he tied for the league lead with six interceptions during a season when the majority of his snaps came at free safety.
"Obviously, he's been with DA and so he should have some familiarity, but he's also bounced around to a few different other systems over the last few years and so we'll see how quickly it comes back to him and whether he'll be ready to go this week or not," the coach said.
Ben Johnson overlapped with Gardner-Johnson during the 2023 season in Detroit. Gardner-Johnson tore a pectoral muscle in Week 2 before he returned that December.
"He ended up going on IR there for a long time, and so all I know is he's a competitive player," Johnson said. "You know, felt that during training camp that year that I was with him, early in the season and then he came back late in the season, it's the same thing. He loves being on the grass and playing football. So, we'll make sure that we have a good support system for him. You know, he's got a family. He's got kids that are important to him. So, we just want to make sure that we support him the best we can."
The Bears will be Gardner-Johnson's fifth team since he entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2019. After his second stint with Philadelphia in 2024, Gardner-Johnson claimed that the Eagles traded him to the Texans in March after winning Super Bowl LIX because they are "scared of a competitor."
Houston general manager Nick Caserio said the Texans "took a shot on goal" that "didn't work out" with the defensive back when he was released last month.
"Gave me a great opportunity," Gardner-Johnson said of the Texans. "Appreciate the front office and the coaches. It just didn't pan out. It is what it is. Nothing bad ... just not a fit. So, I'll make sure to do everything right to make sure it's a fit here and to win games."
Johnson addressed concerns over Gardner-Johnson's history and said he believes Chicago has the infrastructure in place to support the defensive back.
"We've got a very strong locker room," Johnson said. "We've got a positive veteran influence in there. I feel very strongly about that group and nothing is more important than our locker, to be clear with you. That's certainly first and foremost of any decision we make of who we bring in or who we let go. And so, I think we're all aware of how important that is and the fit that he has with this locker room."
