Eagles’ defensive star emerges as likely franchise tag candidate

The Eagles have two weeks to decide who they want to place the franchise tag for the 2023 season, and defensive star C.J. Gardner-Johnson looks like the most probable candidate.

Not every Eagles player survives in Philadelphia, the home of crazy pole-climbing fans and infamous Santa-booers. Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson didn’t just survive — he thrived in his first season in the City of Brotherly Losers (the Phillies, the Union, and the Eagles all came up short in 2022) and will be a key cog to helping Philly win some brass next year.

The Philadelphia Eagles want Gardner-Johnson back in 2023. The defensive star wants the same thing. As usual, the money issue makes it a little bit more difficult for the Eagles and Gardner-Johnson to renew their vows; however, if it comes down to it, the Eagles are reportedly planning the franchise-tag Gardner-Johnson, the first time the team would be using the franchise tag in over a decade.

Gardner-Johnson came to Philly ahead of the 2022 season in one of Howie Roseman’s two savvy trades with the New Orleans Saints, sending a 2023 fifth-rounder and 2024 sixth-rounder for the defensive back and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

The versatile corner and safety put together three productive years in NOLA but posted his career-best season in his first year in Philly, recording a league-high six interceptions despite missing five games due to a lacerated kidney.

Gardner-Johnson’s age, versatility, and culture fit on the team makes him a high-priority extension candidate in a sea of talented players who are pending free agents: Miles Sanders, Brandon Graham, Jason Kelce, and James Bradberry, to name just a few.

Eagles fell in love with C.J. Gardner-Johnson in 2022 and won’t easily let him go

Philadelphia, currently on the prowl for a new defensive coordinator, could see a few defensive change-ups in the wake of Jonathan Gannon’s departure, but there’s a sense that Philly want to hold onto Gardner-Johnson at all costs this offseason.

In 2022, Gardner-Johnson mainly played safety with a sprinkling of cornerback during the postseason. It’ll be interesting to see whether they use the cornerback franchise tag or safety franchise tag on Gardner-Johnson, as the cornerback tag would give him an extra four million in guaranteed money (roughly $18 million compared to $14 million).

The highest-paid safeties in the league currently make upwards of $18 million, so assuming Gardner-Johnson is paid as a safety, the organization can lessen their cap hit for this upcoming season by kicking the can down the road.

Of course, the inherent goal for Howie Roseman is to sign Gardner-Johnson to a long-term extension. Such is Philly’s long-held organizational philosophy, and the Eagles would also likely want to tie up loose ends before negotiating their impending mega-deal with quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Who stays and who goes will be one of the most stressful offseason plots for the Eagles, but leave it to Howie Roseman and the front office to make the right calls.