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The Philadelphia Eagles said goodbye to another piece of their Super Bowl-winning defense on Tuesday, agreeing to send safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in a surprise trade for former first-round draft pick Kenyon Green. The deal comes just one year after the Eagles reunited with Gardner-Johnson in free agency, and marks the Texans’ second trade of a starting offensive lineman in as many days.
Gardner-Johnson, who’s going to Houston along with a 2026 sixth-rounder in exchange for Green and a 2026 fifth-rounder, was a ball hawk with six interceptions during the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX run. He also had six picks during his first stint with Philadelphia back in 2022, when the team also advanced to the Super Bowl.
Yet he may have angled for a new contract in the near future, according to PHLY, and the Eagles needed insurance along the offensive line with starting guard Mekhi Becton reaching free agency this week.
Which party registers as the initial winner of the surprise trade? Here are our initial grades:
Eagles
Acquired: OG Kenyon Green, 2026 fifth-round pick
General manager Howie Roseman is known for squeezing value out of his frequent trades, but this one doesn’t necessarily feel designed to come out like a clear victory for the Eagles; it’s more of a “necessary evil,” like the club letting Super Bowl starters Milton Williams and Josh Sweat cash in elsewhere via free agency. Gardner-Johnson is a tone-setting playmaker, but he’s bounced between teams in part due to his outsized personality and volatile contract talks. The Eagles also have plenty of young defensive backs to help offset his departure, with Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell and Reed Blankenship all held in high regard.
More than that, Philly needed another O-line investment with Becton headed for the open market, and Green comes cheap on a rookie deal, with first-round tools that revered assistant Jeff Stoutland should be able to mold. Is it a step back for the roster at this moment? Yes. Does it have the potential to work out better for the Eagles in the long run? Also yes.
Grade: C+
Texans
Acquired: S C.J. Gardner-Johnson, 2026 sixth-round pick
On one hand, the Texans need all the linemen they can get, especially after shipping longtime left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders earlier this week. Dumping Green just three years after picking him 15th overall doesn’t necessarily help quarterback C.J. Stroud, who regressed behind shoddy protection in 2024. Yet Green mostly floundered while in Houston, in part due to injuries. And the Texans may have already replaced him with the more proven Laken Tomlinson via free agency.
Gardner-Johnson has been a mercenary more than a long-term fixture, but his tenacious play style fits right into DeMeco Ryans‘ defense. He should help Derek Stingley Jr. keep the Texans feisty in the 2025 playoff hunt.
Grade: B-
Laremy Tunsil trade grades: Commanders win deal as Washington works to protect Jayden Daniels
