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The Philadelphia Eagles are signing defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson to a three-year contract worth up to $33 million.
His agents, Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of Universal Sports, confirmed the deal to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
It’s a return to Philadelphia for Gardner-Johnson, who spent one season with the Eagles in 2022. He tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with six that season despite missing five games with a lacerated kidney.
He became the only Eagles player since the 1970 merger to record interceptions in five consecutive games.
After hitting free agency, the Lions signed Gardner-Johnson to a one-year deal last offseason to try to improve the secondary, but he was limited to just three games after suffering a torn pectoral in Week 2.
When active, Gardner-Johnson was productive, with 17 tackles, 3 passes defensed, and 1 interception during the regular season. He had another interception in the divisional round playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He went to great lengths to try to change the defensive culture in Detroit, even urging Lions fans to wear blue balaclavas during games, which generated excitement from the start.
Gardner-Johnson, a fourth-round pick in 2019, played his first three seasons with the New Orleans Saints before being traded to the Eagles before the 2022 season. With the Eagles, he tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions to despite missing five games due to a kidney laceration.
He became the only Eagles player since the 1970 merger to record interceptions in five consecutive games.
In five seasons in the NFL, Gardner-Johnson has 12 interceptions, 39 passes defensed, 245 tackles and 4 sacks.
ESPN’s Eric Woodyard contributed to this report.