Eagles Rumors: C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Get Franchise Tag If No New Contract

The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly aren't going to let C.J. Gardner-Johnson hit free agency.

NFL pundit Adam Caplan said on his Inside the Birds podcast that "Gardner-Johnson is not going anywhere. They'll tag him if they don't think they can get a deal done. I get the sense they love Reed Blankenship at the third safety role, spot starter if you need him, I don't know if they see him as a full-time starter."

While the Eagles have a number of prominent players who are set to be free agents this offseason—among them, Miles Sanders, Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, Javon Hargrave, Brandon Graham, Kyzir White, T.J. Edwards and James Bradberry—Gardner-Johnson established himself as a crucial member of the defense in his first year in Philly.

The 25-year-old posted six interceptions, eight passes defensed, 67 tackles (five for loss) and a sack in just 12 games. It was undoubtedly his best season after three years in New Orleans. The Eagles acquired him and a 2025 seventh-round pick in a late August trade, sending a 2023 fifth-rounder and a 2024 sixth-rounder to the Saints.

Given his age, versatility—he can also handle slot-corner duties alongside playing safety—and the fact that the Eagles recently gave up draft capital to acquire him, he's a very logical option for the franchise tag should the two sides not be able to come to a long-term agreement.

Complicating the Eagles offseason will be the pending mega extension quarterback Jalen Hurts will almost assuredly sign after being the MVP runner-up this past season and leading the team to the Super Bowl. That will limit the team's long-term flexibility, and could lead to them being priced out on some of the big names they would have otherwise liked to retain.

It sounds as though Gardner-Johnson won't be among them, however. At least not this offseason.