Howie Roseman is in Arizona for the NFL Owners Meetings, and the Eagles GM clarified the contract negotiations that led to C.J. Gardner-Johnson signing with Detroit.
The talented safety made have overvalued his market in free agency and reportedly turned down a backloaded deal from Philadelphia, prompting Howie Roseman to go another direction.
That move was signing cornerback Darius Slay to a two-year, $42 million contract extension.
On Monday, Roseman admitted that the Eagles were working to sign Gardner-Johnson, but eventually pivoted in another direction.
Howie Roseman on the #Eagles' dealings with safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency:
"We were very clear that at some point we were going to have to go in a different direction. In those first couple days, we tried and then we pivoted."
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) March 27, 2023
A talented and versatile safety, Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year deal with the Lions, and Howie Roseman had a number in his head that he had no intentions of going over.
Howie Roseman on matching an offer
When asked if Philadelphia could match any offer, Roseman made it seem that things quickly broke down, and Gardner-Johnson moved on.
On whether the #Eagles were given an opportunity to match the Lions' one-year, $6.5M offer for C.J. Gardner-Johnson:
"He may say yes. I don't remember specifically, if he said, 'Hey, I have this.' I think at that point in time, he was ready to move on." https://t.co/2xQ8h5s6P2
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) March 27, 2023
