HOUSTON – Ultimately, the Texans’ bold move to trade for controversial safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t work out and he was fired from his job after three games.
Among the issues that arose with Gardner-Johnson behind the scenes, per league sources: criticism of teammates in the secondary, including the size of one player’s contract, complaints about his role, including a desire to blitz more frequently, and a trade request along with him making frequent comparisons to what he was accustomed to with the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl championship squad.
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There was, most importantly, a recurring tendency from Gardner-Johnson to allow game-changing plays, including a touchdown allowed against the Los Angeles Rams to tight end Davis Allen in the season-opener that was incorrectly attributed to cornerback Kamari Lassiter in addition to costly breakdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. Gardner-Johnson was freelancing, an issue in previous stops with the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and Eagles,
There was also a brief, heated argument with a teammate after the Jaguars game where he refused to take ownership of his role in a defensive breakdown against wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. that set up the game-winning touchdown run.
Like the Texans signing of veteran left tackle Cam Robinson to a one-year, $14.5 million maximum value deal before he was beaten out by rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery and then traded to the Cleveland Browns, at his request, it was a move that failed.
“Similar to Cam’s situation, take the information, in the end, took a shot on goal, didn’t work out, move on,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “Let’s focus on the rest of the team and the players that are here. Really nothing more to it. I’m not trying to oversimplify it. But, that’s the reality of the situation. Certainly, wish him well. Good to work with. In the end that’s a decision that we made and we moved ahead.”
Gardner-Johnson signed with the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad, which, ironically, also employs the player he was traded for: former Texans first-round offensive guard Kenyon Green, a Texas A&M and Atascosita High School standout who didn’t pan out.
The Texans previously restructured Gardner-Johnson’s contract. This was unrelated to that financial maneuver, though.
Gardner-Johnson’s converted contract has a $6.58 million signing bonus, a $1.17 million base salary and a salary-cap figure of $3.086 million, down from $9 million. In 2026, he was due a $1.3 million base salary.
Gardner-Johnson had asked for a trade behind the scenes, per a league source.
Did the Texans try to trade him? Caserio declined to specify if they did.
“I think there’s an assumption that you pursued a trade, didn’t pursue a trade. We talk to teams all the time. If a team is interested, we’re going to listen. If there’s something that makes sense, great. If there is not, we figure out what the best course of action is.”
The Texans traded Robinson to the Browns in a late-round pick swap, per a league source.
The Browns sent the Texans a sixth-round pick in 2027 in exchange for Robinson and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick.
Robinson was a healthy scratch against the Tennessee Titans, and Ersery is entrenched as the starter.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans emphasized the move was primarily about giving Robinson an opportunity to play instead of sitting on the bench behind a younger player.
“We traded Cam to the Browns today, it gives Cam an opportunity to go play,” Ryans said. “Cam wants to play, so it gives him an opportunity to do that and we wish Cam nothing but the best.
“He has handled himself the right way since he’s been here. He’s done everything the right way, everything we’ve asked him to do. We wanted to do right by him and give him the opportunity.”
Why trade a player when he could have provided quality depth and a sound insurance policy in case Ersery gets hurt or struggles? The Texans do have Blake Fisher on the roster, a former second-round pick who has been effective as an extra tackle in a jumbo package. And they promoted 6-foot-8, 380-pound former Pro Bowl tackle Trent Brown to the active roster from the practice squad. Those options, though, aren’t the same level as Robinson.
“We have four starting tackles in the building, including Trent Brown,” Caserio said. “Cam’s situation was, again, take all the information, evaluate it, in the end make a decision that we feel is the best for the team and everybody involved. It’s no different. Our philosophy is the same. We have discussions, have dialogue. DeMeco and I talk about it. In the end, whatever we feel makes the most sense, that’s what we do.
“We have four tackles that have started in the NFL. Is that not accurate? I’m saying we have four tackles. Blake Fisher, Trent Brown. Trent started 100 games in the NFL. That’s what I’m saying. We feel good about the people that are in the building. That’s what we decided to go with. Each week we’ll evaluate it and figure out what makes the most sense.”
During the offseason, Robinson was signed to a one-year contract with a maximum value of $14.5 million.
The deal has a base value of $12 million.
By adding Robinson, the Texans thought they had replaced five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Instead, he injured his leg during the preseason at The Greenbrier and was replaced by Ersery.
The Texans previously shopped Robinson to the Los Angeles Chargers, per a source. They ultimately traded for Texans reserve tackle Austin Deculus.
Ersery has started all five games, including the past three games at left tackle and has made strides along with some rough moments in pass protection at times.
“I think he’s done a really good job, still has a ways to go,” Ryans said. “Still room to grow, room to get better. Those are separate from each other. That has nothing to do with Cam. Tae has done a really nice job.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com