Former NFL Linebacker Warns That He’s ‘Worried’ About Eagles’ Defense After ‘Gigantic Loss’ of ‘Enforcer’
Multiple NFL analysts are starting to worry about the Philadelphia Eagles after another key piece of their championship-winning defense was jettisoned.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson was the latest player to leave the nest when the Eagles made a surprise trade. He was sent packing to the Houston Texans in exchange for former first-round pick Kenyon Green, plus a pick swap for a fifth-rounder in 2026.
The Eagles are now down six players (if reports are true) from last year’s defense, including Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Darius Slay, Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Isaiah Rodgers, and Oren Burks.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Was Eagles’ ‘Enforcer’
Following Gardner-Johnson’s exit, the Eagles will be looking to replace more than just production at the safety position. He was the biggest trash-talker on the roster, an “enforcer” who never backed down from a fight and brought an undeniable swagger to the field. Those strong-willed character traits could be irreplaceable.
Speaking on FS1’s The Facility, former linebacker Emmanuel Acho believes the Eagles suffered a “gigantic loss” on the backend of their defense. They have no one currently on the roster to replace Gardner-Johnson’s spunk.
“I got to be worried about the Eagles defensively right now because of what I call him. I call him an enforcer,” Acho said. “I don’t know Chauncey Gardner-Johnson off the field, but I know everybody, every team, on the field, you need a bad dude …
“A dude that at any given point may get thrown out the game. He might get thrown out the game. And that’s okay. And Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, he is that dude, and every team has him. The Eagles don’t have that at linebacker. Zack Baun is a really good player, but Zack Baun is not an enforcer.”
Eagles Acquire Kenyon Green in Surprise Trade
Philadelphia may have surprised the football world by trading away their starting safety, but the Eagles got what they hope is a promising offensive guard in Kenyon Green. The Eagles and Texans also swapped picks (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter), with the Eagles receiving a fifth-round pick in 2026 and the Texans getting a sixth-rounder in 2026.
Green, the Texans’ 15th overall pick in 2022, has struggled to start his NFL career. In 2024, he was among the worst guards in the NFL, allowing five sacks and seven penalties on 582 offensive snaps.
However, the 6-foot-4, 323-pounder will turn just 24 years old on March 15. Green is young enough to resurrect his career, especially under the tutelage of Jeff Stoutland, who is arguably the best offensive line coach in football. Philadelphia was probably the best landing place for him.
Who Fills The Immediate Void in Eagles’ Secondary?
Filling the void in the Eagles’ secondary will be the hardest thing for the Super Bowl champions to figure out. Third-year safety Sydney Brown is the logical choice to slide in and pair up with starter Reed Blankenship. He’ll likely face competition from Tristin McCollum and Lewis Cine at training camp.
The Eagles could always look toward free agency for a plug-and-play solution — Justin Simmons is one name to watch — or they could take a flier on someone like safety Xavier Watts in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Whatever they decide to do, the loss of Gardner-Johnson will surely be felt. The Eagles ranked second in Defense+ in 2024 and 6th in 2022, with Gardner-Johnson on the team. They ranked 30th in 2023 while he was gone.
He had 12 interceptions in two seasons with the Eagles (2022, 2024), compared to six interceptions in four seasons with any other team. He also defended 12 passes, which ranked second among safeties in 2024, behind only Brian Branch (16).
