C.J. Gardner-Johnson calls out Madden 25's Top 10 Safeties ratings after missing out - "I'll boycott them at this point"
C.J. Gardner-Johnson is an interesting player on and off the field. The safety from the Philadelphia Eagles is very good but has his own share of controversies when he's not playing that add a little spice to his name in NFL circles. Another one was generated on Monday.
As the 2024 edition of Madden NFL released its top positional rankings, he was left out of the top 10 in ratings, with some questionable names above Gardner-Johnson. The Eagles player did not react happily and said that he would start boycotting the franchise due to the disrespect.
While the top safeties are correctly ranked, names such as Kevin Byard and Budda Baker surely are worth discussing as to whether they deserve to be ranked above Gardner-Johnson. Byard, after all, was traded from the Tennessee Titans due to his decline and endured an awful end of the season with the same Eagles in 2023.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson career: Safety back with the Eagles in 2024
Gardner-Johnson returned to the Eagles in 2024 after a season with the Detroit Lions. He led the league in interceptions after being traded by the New Orleans Saints prior to the 2022 season and couldn't produce the same with the Lions as he was injured for most of the year.
The Eagles were unable to keep him on the roster in 2023 due to many important players reaching free agency at the same time as they dealt with the effects of a Super Bowl run. CJGJ, although a star on the defense, went to the market - and walked away disappointed with what he found.
The safety market isn't one of the hottest in the league in recent years. Antoine Winfield Jr. was able to get a nice extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jessie Bates signed a good contract with the Atlanta Falcons. But overall, safeties aren't a hot commodity around the league nowadays.
Philadelphia had a huge need at safety and went to their old friend who also wanted to bounce back after an injury-riddled season. We'll see if this reunion works for the best.