NFL Trade Rumors: C.J. Gardner-Johnson Dealt to Texans from Eagles for Kenyon Green

The Philadelphia Eagles are busy making deals, as their latest move sent C.J. Gardner Johnson to the Houston Texans.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter and DJ Bien-Aime, the Eagles will receive guard Kenyon Green in the deal.

The teams are also swapping late-round picks in 2026, with the Eagles receiving a fifth-round pick and the Texans getting a sixth-rounder.

Fresh off winning a Super Bowl on the strength of a dominant defense, the Eagles have lost six players from that unit in free agency so far.

Some of the defensive turnover was to be expected, as the Eagles wouldn't be able to afford all of their players. Milton Williams has agreed to the richest free-agent contract so far at $104 million over four years from the New England Patriots.

Josh Sweat's four-year, $76.4 million agreement with the Arizona Cardinals is the second-largest deal for a defensive player, behind Williams.

Per John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Eagles are doing what they can to maintain cap flexibility in order to keep the core of this team together. They also want to give Sydney Brown, a third-round pick in the 2023 draft, a chance to prove himself as a starting safety.

Gardner-Johnson returned to Philadelphia last offseason on a three-year, $27 million contract after spending the 2023 season with the Detroit Lions. He previously played for the team in 2022.

In his return to the Eagles last season, Gardner-Johnson started all 20 games he played between the regular season and playoffs. The 27-year-old tied his career-high with six interceptions.

The Texans' addition of Gardner-Johnson could mean a change in role for Jimmie Ward, who has experience playing nickel corner.

Ward could also be moved to a backup role given his age (34) and injury issues. He has missed seven games in each of the past two seasons.

Green is exactly the type of low-cost player the Eagles love to take a chance on. He was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2022 draft, but has struggled to reach his potential thus far. Injuries have played a role in those struggles, as he missed the entire 2023 season due to a shoulder injury.

The Eagles were able to help revive Mekhi Becton's career in 2024 by having him play guard instead of tackle. The 25-year-old is a free agent and could be priced out of Philadelphia's range.

Green, who played on the left side in Houston, could shift to right guard if Becton leaves. He appeared in 12 games and made nine starts during the 2024 campaign. The Texas A&M alum will earn a $2.9 million base salary in the final year of his rookie contract in 2025.