Eagles news: C.J. Gardner-Johnson traded to Texans; free agent safety says Philly is 'high on the list'; latest rumors and updates

On the same day that he found out he was being traded to the Houston Texans, former Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson went live on Twitch to react to the news of his trade...and play some video games.

"There was no bad blood, there was none," Gardner-Johnson said during the livestream. "All I asked them was like... I just want to go somewhere where I can play winning football. I ain't asked for a specific place... I woke up the next day, and boom, there it is. So s—, we in Houston."

The Eagles will visit the White House on April 28 to celebrate their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed to reporters Tuesday.

"I know there was a lot of news about a fake invitation that wasn’t sent or was sent," Leavitt said at the White House press briefing. "We want to correct the record — we sent an invitation, they enthusiastically accepted, and you will see them here on April 28.”

Speaking on the Talkin’ Ball podcast with New York Daily News columnist and Giants writer Pat Leonard, free agent safety Justin Simmons said his familiarity with Vic Fangio as well as Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who coached in Denver from 2021-23, placed the Eagles “high on the list” for his desired destinations.

“Having a chance to reunite with Vic and also the defensive backs coach Christian Parker, he’s over there,” Simmons said. “I’ve worked with him the last four years with Denver and he was a huge piece. Obviously, there’s a lot of rotating with coaches and defensive coordinators, he was a huge piece, the stability year in and out, the terminology, the practices, there was a lot of familiarity with him.”

Add safety to the list of Eagles needs this offseason.

By trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the team freed up some short-term cash and created some salary-cap space in the years to come, but will now need to reinforce the defensive secondary as a result.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson said goodbye to Philly following the news the Eagles safety is being traded to the Houston Texans.

“You’ve been more than a city to me — you’ve been a home,” Gardner-Johnson wrote in a message shared on social media. “From the moment I stepped onto Lincoln Financial, I knew I’d found a place where passion isn’t just celebrated; it’s demanded. And I gave everything, every snap, every hit, every ounce in my bones.” 

C.J. Gardner-Johnson brought some much-needed swagger to the Eagles defense last season. General manager Howie Roseman said that was one reason for bringing the safety back last offseason (although defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said he didn't know what "swagger" meant when asked last summer.)

Nevertheless, Gardner-Johnson was an important part of the defensive turnaround, made big plays, and led the team with six interceptions (two years after he led the unit with the same amount.)

The Eagles surprised fans and pundits by trading safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in exchange for guard Kenyon Green.

It's the fourth-straight season a team has moved on from Gardner-Johnson after just one year, including the Eagles in 2023.

As NFL free agency moves through its second day, the Eagles have a few holes to fill on defense.

One free agent that could make sense for the Birds is New York Giants edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, a second-round pick in 2021 who attended Georgia with several current Eagles defenders.

Depending what happens with the rest of free agency, the Eagles are in line to receive several compensatory picks in the 2026 draft. 

Basically, the NFL awards extra draft picks to teams that lose more free agents than they gain. The pick is determined by the size of the contract a player signs with a new team, and can be impacted by the percentage of snaps they play during the season. Here's a more detailed description how the process works.

With one day of NFL free agency in the books, several Eagles free agents remain unsigned, including one starter.

Right guard Mekhi Becton, a former first-round pick for the New York Jets who flourished last season after signing a one-year deal with the Eagles, remains likely to get a better deal elsewhere, according to the Inquirer's Jeff Neiburg. But he could remain in Philly if the numbers work out.

In addition to a 2025 fifth-round pick, the Eagles are landing a new backup quarterback from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Kenny Pickett.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson figures to slot in behind Tanner McKee as another developmental quarterback on a rookie deal. The former UCLA standout taken in the fifth round in 2023 has appeared in 15 games and has five starts in the last two years, completing 52.6% of his passes while throwing just one touchdown to 10 interceptions.

After contributing to a historic season, several members of the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning defense cashed in big on Monday.

Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Isaiah Rodgers, and Oren Burks agreed to contract terms with new teams on the opening day of the NFL’s legal tampering period, sources confirmed, with Williams and Sweat each set to sign multiyear contracts with massive annual salaries.