The New Orleans Saints traded away safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday.
The Eagles agreed to trade away a 2023 fifth-round draft pick and a sixth-round draft choice in 2024 in exchange for Gardner-Johnson and a Saints seventh-round draft selection in 2025, according NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Full trade terms:
🏈Eagles receive safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Saints’ 7th-round pick in 2025.
🏈Saints receive the Eagles’ 5th-round pick in 2023 and the worse of their two 6th-round picks in 2024.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2022
After contract extension negotiations died down between Gardner-Johnson and the Saints, New Orleans reportedly shifted their focus in trading the 24-year-old defenseman to get assets in exchange, instead of getting nothing for him once his contract expires at the end of this season.
— C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) August 30, 2022
The trade works well for both teams. The Saints ensured themselves a bright future with young players up and coming in the draft, while the Eagles get an able NFL starter who can make an impact right away for them. Philadelphia receives an agile player who in three season’s in the National Football League has recorded a total of 161 tackles, five interceptions, and three sacks in his career up until this point, according to Pro Football Reference.
Several analaysts and commentators said the move was “surprising,” as many expected Gardner-Johnson to resign with the Saints.
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson will have the opportunity to play against his former Saints teammates on New Year’s Day in a late season game in Philadelphia.