The seven-year veteran has logged 64 starts in his career with experience as a free safety, dimebacker, and nickel defender. He will add depth to an injured Ravens secondary that could use help at all three spots.
Gardner-Johnson began the 2025 season with the Texans but was released after three games due to tension in the locker room. He reportedly created tension in Houston’s locker room by criticizing his teammates and expressing frustration with his role, despite the unit’s strong start to the year.
The Texans were so anxious to move on from Gardner-Johnson that they released him before exploring a trade and absorbed $8.25 million of dead money in the process. (In a poor bit of financial planning, Houston actually restructured Gardner-Johnson’s contract the week before he was released, raising his dead cap charge significantly.)
The Ravens are no stranger to disgruntled safeties after benching Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson in 2024, and their injuries greatly reduce their ability to be picky about available talent. Gardner-Johnson has the resume of a starting NFL safety and could legitimately play a role right away in Baltimore. Kyle Hamilton missed Sunday’s game against the Texans, leaving two rookie safeties to start in his absence. First-rounder Malaki Starks has generally played well (but not great) through his first four games, but he lacks Hamilton’s every-down impact. UDFA Reuben Lowery struggled in his first extended NFL action, and though one game does not define a player, the 1-4 Ravens cannot afford a repeat performance against the Rams. Gardner-Johnson could slide right in the starting lineup, or at least be ready as a secondary option should Lowery falter again.
Even if Hamilton is back for the next game, Gardner-Johnson could still factor into the gameplan. His versatile experience makes him an ideal sixth-defensive back for dime packages, as he can help out in the slot or the box. Better yet, he can move back to a deep safety alignment and free up Kyle Hamilton to wreak havoc near the line of scrimmage and over the middle. In theory, the Ravens could do this in nickel looks as well with Hamilton or Gardner-Johnson replacing Keyon Martin in the slot with the other playing free safety.
Getting Gardner-Johnson on the field with Hamilton will force the Ravens to move away from the four-cornerback dime they have preferred this season and run three-safety packages instead. When Baltimore’s cornerbacks were healthy, the former strategy made sense – T.J. Tampa offered more than Lowery or Sanoussi Kane – but now that Tampa is starting on the outside, the Ravens need to adjust.
Gardner-Johnson offers an opportunity to do just that. He should allow the team to upgrade their coverage in some way and should be able to contribute in obvious passing situations. Fans clamoring for accountability and more of an edge on defense may appreciate the 27-year-old’s attitude, as well.
In a corresponding move, the Ravens released nose tackle Josh Tupou from the practice squad. He had a rough game in Week 4 against the Chiefs, making it clear that he was not the answer to the team’s D-line woes.