The Buffalo Bills have been making moves left and right since their season came to an end. After a disappointing loss to the Denver Broncos ended their season, they immediately made a change at head coach, replacing Sean McDermott with Joe Brady.
But they’ve been hard at work in the offseason as well, making a ton of changes to fix seemingly every hole on the roster. However, their most recent acquisition, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, reveals the impact Josh Allen has had on his decision to join.
How Josh Allen Influenced C.J. Gardner-Johnson
A plethora of moves for the Bills have informed their offseason, including rebuilding a defense that finished in the middle of the pack last year. Ranking at number 13 on PFSN’s Defense Impact, they needed more help on that side of the football.
Moreover, the lack of a star wide receiver was something fans had pointed to for the last two seasons. As a result, the trade to bring in DJ Moore gave them some breathing room in that direction as well.
But after trading both Taron Johnson and releasing Dane Jackson and Taylor Rapp, the secondary was far weaker than it had been last season. Help arrived in the way of veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who signed for a one-year deal worth $6 million.
A former Super Bowl champion, Johnson played a vital role for the Philadelphia Eagles en route to their Super Bowl 59 victory. Last year, though, he bounced around the league before having an extended run with the Chicago Bears.
Now, as he joins a Bills team that needs all the help it can get on defense, Gardner-Johnson spoke about the unique opportunity his new team presents. “The locker room and having the chance to compete for a championship.”
Reflecting on his journey, he added, “Being 8 years in, won one, been to 2 conference championships, I think just really trying to compete for a championship.” Revealing that winning was part of the discussion, Johnson also made it clear that the quarterback was a deciding factor for him.
“Having a chance to win with a good quarterback. Josh is phenomenal at what he does. So I wanna be a part of a team that has a fighting chance every Sunday… Surrounding myself with superstars,” Gardner-Johnson added.
Winning his first MVP just two years ago, Allen has consistently been among the best players in the league.
Ranking at number three on PFSN’s QB Impact last season, the Bills’ QB was once again among the best quarterbacks in the league. The one thing missing from Allen’s resume is an elusive Super Bowl, but with a former champion now on the roster, the Bills will be hoping that this is the year they can take that leap forward.
