GM Brandon Beane detailed why the Buffalo Bills were comfortable signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson after an extensive evaluation process.
When the Buffalo Bills signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson to a one-year contract this offseason, they weren't just adding another experienced defensive back. They were bringing in one of the NFL's most competitive players, knowing full well the reputation that followed him.
Speaking to the media on the first day of training camp, Bills general manager Brandon Beane explained that the organization spent considerable time evaluating Gardner-Johnson before deciding he was the right fit for Buffalo's defense.
As Buffalo continued its evaluation, Beane said Gardner-Johnson's on-field ability was never in question.
"When you get to Chauncey, he was a guy that, you know, he's had success," Beane said. "He's bounced around, but not because of the lack of talent.
"He's made big plays, impact plays. He can find the ball. He's a ball hawk. He will strike you, to say it politically correct. But he will knock it, you know, knock your head off. He brings a great skill set to the position."
The Bills also wanted to learn more about the person behind the player.
"You're asking around to people that have been on teams [with him]," he said. "And I would say a lot of things were very positive. He's super competitive. And sometimes his competitiveness, maybe he went a little far or whatever. But I thought his offseason, he came in here, and we talked about those things before we signed him to make sure we felt [good]."
Beane said that before the Bills signed the 28-year-old safety, the team brought him into town and spent an entire day with him. Beane says that he believed Gardner-Johnson was "open and honest" about things that have happened in his career, including where he felt he could've done things better.
Those conversations ultimately gave Buffalo confidence that Gardner-Johnson understood both the opportunity in front of him and the expectations that come with it.
"I think he understands this point in his career—he's not at the end, he can still play—but he's got to make sure he keeps it within the lines," Beane explained.
For Beane, that competitive edge is one of the biggest reasons the Bills wanted Gardner-Johnson in the first place.
"Week one, we're going to be going to Houston; that's going to be a hostile environment, a loud place," Beane said. "You want an edge. You want to – hey, it's us against the world, that mentality. And he has that mentality. He has no fear. He's a guy that you want in a street fight, so to speak."
At the same time, Beane emphasized that the Bills expect Gardner-Johnson to play with that same intensity while staying within the team's standards.
"We want him to be himself, but just make sure it stays within the boundaries," he said.
Through two days at training camp, Gardner-Johnson has been the starting safety alongside Cole Bishop. It's a role that he's expected to be in when the season opens in September.
