Jason Burgos
An impact player at a position of need rarely ends up on the street during the NFL regular season. But on Tuesday, the Houston Texans offered up a gift to in-state rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, that Jerry Jones seriously needs to take advantage of.
The first three weeks of the 2025 season have been a major disappointment for the Cowboys. If not for a wild come-from-behind win in Week 2 against the New York Giants, they could easily be 0-3 heading into Week 4. Yet, for as big a letdown as Dallas has been, the Texans have been worse.
They actually are winless and have, arguably, the worst offense in the league after scoring just 38 points in their first three games. This week brought another surprising chapter in what is quickly becoming a lost season when Houston actually cut cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson six months after making an offseason trade for him.
It was a stunning turn of events that will surely get more details in the days ahead. But barring some heinous allegations against the seven-year veteran, the Cowboys need to sign Gardner-Johnson because their awful defense badly needs him.
The Dallas Cowboys Defensive Horror Show
The Cowboys’ defense is the biggest reason why they own a 1-2 record heading into the weekend. In their games against the Eagles, Giants, and Bears, they have given up 24, 37, and 31 points, respectively. However, in none of those games did they give up over 100 yards on the ground to a running back. Instead, they have been completely gashed by opposing QBs.
In Week 1, they actually held Jalen Hurts to under 200 yards passing, but they did give up a 51-yard pass. Unfortunately, that was a sign of more blown coverages to come. In the following game, they made Russell Wilson look like Tom Brady by allowing him to throw for 450 yards and three touchdowns. In that game, the Giants converted passes for 48, 50, and 52 yards. And that was to three different receivers. So it wasn’t the failings of one bad defensive back, but the whole secondary.
- Dallas Cowboys defensive stats: Allowing 32.3 points (sixth worst in NFL) and 288 passing yards (worst in NFL) per game
On Sunday, they let struggling young QB Caleb Williams get all of his confidence back by rampaging for 298 yards and four touchdowns. They also again gave up huge pass plays for 65 and 41 yards. The defense was expected to be worse after trading Micah Parsons before Week 1. But no one expected them to be this atrocious when it comes to pass defense.
It’s why the Cowboys must get Gardner-Johnson in the building this week and sign him immediately.
Cowboys Better With C.J. Gardner-Johnson Than Without
A case can be made that injuries are a big reason for the Cowboys’ struggles. Nickelback DaRon Bland is working his way back from a foot injury he suffered two weeks ago during practice. While third-round pick Shavon Revel is still rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered a year ago.
Their imminent returns are why Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted last week he wasn’t interested in signing a veteran cornerback like Stephon Gilmore. Not adding the 34-year-old does make sense. He is far removed from his Pro Bowl seasons and is more of a depth move at this point in his career. However, CJ Gardner-Johnson is a very different situation.
- CJ Gardner-Johnson stats (Career): 77 games, 319 tackles, 18 interceptions, 51 passes defended
While he has never earned Pro Bowl honors, he is an elite ball hawk — in two of the last three seasons, he has posted six interceptions apiece — and he played a notable role in the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl last season.
Is he a perfect player? No. Does he have flaws? Yes. Could the Cowboys use a corner more than a safety? Yes. But for how bad their secondary has been, they need upgrades everywhere. Outside of Trevon Diggs, no DB is deserving of holding on to their starting spot. Furthermore, after getting cut, he won’t come at a wild cost.
If Dallas signs Gardner-Johnson and gets Bland and Revel back, a few weeks from now, this secondary could be much better. And instead of costing them games, it could be contributing to wins.
