Bills Pounce on Waiver Wire: Sign Super Bowl Champion Safety Just Hours After Ravens’ Shocking Release
Orchard Park, NY – In a rapid-fire response to ongoing secondary woes amid their midseason skid, the Buffalo Bills have swooped in to sign a battle-tested veteran defensive back to their practice squad—less than two hours after the Baltimore Ravens cut him loose. The transaction, confirmed by team sources late Tuesday, arrives as a timely infusion for a Bills defense reeling from back-to-back losses, including a humiliating 28-24 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons that dropped Buffalo to 4-2 and amplified calls for roster reinforcements during the Week 7 bye.
The Bills, desperate to stabilize a pass defense that’s surrendered 275 yards per game over the last two contests—ranking 28th league-wide—have been aggressive on the waiver wire all fall under general manager Brandon Beane. With key safeties Damar Hamlin and Cole Bishop sidelined by hamstring strains, and veteran Micah Hyde managing a nagging neck issue, head coach Sean McDermott’s unit craves depth that can translate to immediate special teams and sub-package contributions. This opportunistic grab, executed with surgical precision post-Ravens release, embodies Buffalo’s blueprint for clawing back into AFC East contention: Turn a divisional foe’s misfortune into Bills Mafia momentum.
The defensive back in question is C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the 27-year-old Super Bowl LIX champion with the Philadelphia Eagles whose nomadic 2025 campaign has now landed him in Orchard Park. A fourth-round draft pick out of Florida in 2019, Gardner-Johnson boasts a glittering resume: 18 career interceptions, 51 passes defended, and a penchant for chaos in the slot and deep third. Last season, he erupted for six picks—tying for the NFL lead—while anchoring Philly’s secondary en route to a 38-31 Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, where he sealed the win with a fourth-quarter interception in the end zone. His Ravens tenure? A blink-and-miss-it affair: Signed to the practice squad on October 7, only to be mutually released after Baltimore traded for Chargers safety Alohi Gilman, blocking his elevation path. Prior to that, a three-game stint with the Houston Texans ended abruptly amid reported locker-room tensions, per agent Kevin Conner.
Insiders describe the signing as a “perfect schematic match” for defensive coordinator Bobby Babich’s aggressive, turnover-forcing scheme, where Gardner-Johnson’s ball-hawking instincts (he’s forced 10 fumbles in his career) could spark a secondary that’s managed just four interceptions through six games. “CJ’s a dawg—versatile, vocal, and always hunting plays,” a Bills scout shared with Bills Wire. At a prorated practice squad salary hovering around $1.1 million (with promotion potential), it’s a bargain-bin steal for a player who’s thrived in high-pressure spots, from his 2022 Eagles debut (six INTs in 12 games) to his 2023 Lions resurgence (five picks). Gardner-Johnson, who tweeted “#GodsPlan” amid his mental health focus post-release, reportedly chose Buffalo for its “clear runway to contribute” and proximity to Northeast roots.
Gardner-Johnson’s edge extends beyond stats; his brash persona—fined six times for taunting last year—fuels the swagger McDermott craves to ignite a locker room shell-shocked by recent collapses. Josh Allen, fresh off a frustrated post-Falcons sideline clip, could benefit from the stability, especially with the New York Jets up next in Week 8. For a Bills squad eyeing redemption after Kim Pegula’s reported ultimatum to McDermott, this move isn’t just depth—it’s defiance. As Buffalo hunkers down for bye-week tweaks, Gardner-Johnson’s arrival whispers a familiar Eagles rallying cry: “No fly zone? Watch this.”
Catch the latest on C.J. Gardner-Johnson impact, Buffalo Bills defensive depth, and AFC East race analysis at Bills Wire—your essential source for 2025 NFL news, injury reports, and playoff projections.
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