Bills Release C.J. Gardner-Johnson After Spitting Suspension

The Buffalo Bills have released safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after serving a one-game suspension for spitting at an opponent during Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

He played six games for the Bills after signing with them in the offseason and accumulated 26 tackles and an interception in his time with Buffalo.

He started all six games for the Bills, but NFL insiders suggest the decision to cut Gardner-Johnson had more to do with his inconsistent on-field play than the incident that led to his ejection against the Raiders. That being said, it is no doubt that if a player isn’t performing up to the level the team expects, behavioral decisions that cause problems and distractions are highly less tolerable and can give an easy excuse to move on.

Cole Bishop and Damar Hamlin now sit at the top of the Bills’ safety depth chart. After a strong showing against the Baltimore Ravens, practice squad call-up Geno Stone could also see more time now that Gardner-Johnson is out, and rookie Jalon Kilgore could see more of the field.

Gardner-Johnson’s future now becomes uncertain following this move. He’s still a player a team would take a chance on, even with the incident. He won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.

The teams that would make the most sense to pick up Gardner-Johnson would be those in search of depth and making a run at the playoffs. He has experience and will look to redeem himself with leadership after the suspension. Potentially, a reunion with a team like the Detroit Lions or Chicago Bears could be his opportunity if he has a good relationship with those organizations.