The Buffalo Bills are looking to bolster their defensive backfield and part of that plan was signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Below are my thoughts after reviewing some game film, but I have one appetizer thought up here.
Have you ever done any resume scouring when looking to hire someone? One thing that’s conventionally been considered a red flag is that a person changes jobs frequently. While I don’t think that’s always an issue for hiring, there is some validity to the idea for a professional athlete.
Gardner-Johnson hasn’t spent longer than one season with any one team since his first stop with the New Orleans Saints from 2019-2021. He was with two teams just last season. Nobody seems intent on locking him up long term, and that speaks volumes.
The Film
I’ll do the more robust play notes below like I’ve been doing, but I want to address the lack of coverage snaps in the clips I shared. I think the last one I have is unfortunately not a bad look at his pass-coverage ability. When covering in zone behind the play a little, Gardner-Johnson is better. Off the line in man coverage was worrisome.
Contrasting that is Gardner-Johnson in run support. Able to shed blocks, hold his own against linemen, and hit with no remorse; Gardner-Johnson is more like a small linebacker.
I’m personally of similar mind to Sean McDermott in that if I have to choose which thing to defend, I’d prefer to defend the pass. While the run support is commendable, the flaws to me are in the undesirable direction.
I’m unfortunately in more of a time crunch this offseason than I prefer and it’s possible watching more game tape might make me feel better about things but with the film I did hit, this signing worries me a bit.
It’s notable that for the most part Gardner-Johnson was not a 100% of the snaps kind of player and that could be a huge factor in getting the most out of him; choosing when he hits the field wisely. Similarly, he does have the benefit of being versatile. There was some movement in the film I watched and rumor has it he has experience all over the defensive backfield. A little chaos can go a long way.
Play notes:
- On the first play, Gardner-Johnson swats his opponent’s hands away to slip free and get in on the tackle. Good concentration and effort are major credits here.
- There’s good patience and technique here, which leads to a good run stop.
- This is also technically a coverage snap. I like to see how highlights came to be. In the case of this interception, it’s mostly a case of “right place at the right time,” but that’s never an insult. He still makes the catch and gets a nice return to boot.
- This wasn’t the only slip in this game, and it wasn’t the only example of over-pursuing.
- I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a spin move done quite like that. Great contact balance and he slips away to get into the thick of things.
- Gardner-Johnson slips through the muck and makes the play in the backfield. I know what I said above, but that doesn’t mean a play like this isn’t fun to watch still.
- There is no play 7 to watch…
