Arguably, the most important move that Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles made was bringing in defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson from free agency in the middle of the season to help the team.
Gardner-Johnson was instantly put to the test, going from a career-long safety to nickel corner, and he performed well. He helped the team when they needed it most in the secondary, which was missing Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon for most of the season, and got the Bears to the playoffs.
Now entering as a free agent, Gardner-Johnson has some decisions to make as to whether he would return to Chicago or join another team. He had a moment that scared Bears fans when he took to social media to post a cryptic message with just six words.
"Too chill for the run around ✌🏾"
C.J. Gardner-Johnson had Bears fans losing their minds
That post could mean pretty much anything, but Bears fans were worried he might have been talking about the Bears, since he is a free agent and would be interested in coming back to the team. It could also be something personal that fans are not aware of.
Gardner-Johnson had a great year for the Bears as he racked up 51 tackles, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, four pass deflections, three sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble in 10 games with the Bears. He played his first three games of the season with the Houston Texans before they released him.
This offseason, the Bears are losing several members of their secondary to free agency, including Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker, leaving the team with some tough questions. Gardner-Johnson will be part of those conversations as he seeks stability after playing for five different teams before the Bears.
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Chicago is hoping that the post has nothing to do with the Bears, as fans would love to see him back in the secondary in 2026, but it does.