The Chicago Bears are planning to sign veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to their active roster, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

The Bears will be the fourth team Gardner-Johnson has played for over the last calendar year. He spent the 2024 NFL season with the Philadelphia Eagles before being traded to the Houston Texans in a deal involving 2022 first-round guard Kenyon Green.

Gardner-Johnson started three games for the Texans before being released following the team's 0-3 start.

At the time, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made it clear he believed releasing Gardner-Johnson was in the team's best interest.

"It was my decision to move on," Ryans said, per the Houston Chronicle. "I know what's best for my team. ... Coming from me, the head coach, it was the best for our team. That's why I made the decision."

Following that, Gardner-Johnson spent a week with the Ravens' practice squad. The 27-year-old was released in what his agent referred to as "an amicable mutual decision" after Baltimore traded for former Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman.

"After the Ravens traded for a safety, we were looking for a clearer path to play," Gardner-Johnson's agent Kevin Conner told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Now, Gardner-Johnson will look to find a path toward playing time in Chicago. He comes in already familiar with the scheme of Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who held the same role with the New Orleans Saints while Gardner-Johnson was there from 2019-21.

The Bears have primarily used Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard as their starters while backups Jonathan Owens and Elijah Hicks have combined to play just 41 defensive snaps.

Gardner-Johnson has started 64 games during his career and will add experience to Chicago's safety depth chart. The 27-year-old recorded 59 tackles and six interceptions across 16 regular-season games with the Eagles in 2024.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson teams, career timeline

Below is a look at all the NFL teams for which Gardner-Johnson has played since being a fourth-round pick by the Saints in the 2019 NFL Draft.

  • New Orleans Saints (2019-21)
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2022)
  • Detroit Lions (2023)
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2024)
  • Houston Texans (2025)
  • Baltimore Ravens (2025)
  • Chicago Bears (2025)

Gardner-Johnson has been traded twice during his career – once from the Saints to the Eagles and once from the Eagles to the Texans.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former Texans safety CJ Gardner-Johnson to sign with Bears, per report

Reporting by Jacob Camenker, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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