The Bills aren’t cutting C.J. Gardner-Johnson after Sunday’s spitting incident, and Joe Brady made that much clear on Monday.
Gardner-Johnson was ejected in Las Vegas and then sat out the next game because of the suspension, but Brady said the Bills still view him as part of the team.
“Look, C.J.'s a member of the Buffalo Bills,” coach Joe Brady told reporters. “We brought him here for a reason, and we know that he knows that he has to play better. He knows he has to be better for this team, and, you know, just like everybody else, right, we’ve got to learn from this stuff, and we have to improve and find ways to get better as the season goes.”
Brady then brought up another issue the Bills have been trying to manage: James Cook’s fumbling.
“No different than - it’s different, right? - Jimbo fumbling,” Brady said. “You know, we have to continue to find ways to get better, and he knows that he has to be better, and, you know, it’s just an opportunity for him. Look, it’ll be an opportunity for someone else to, you know, play early the week and step up, but it is an opportunity for him to grow and be better as a better teammate and a better football player, you know, when this opportunity comes up again.”
The Bills wanted Gardner-Johnson for what he brings on defense, and that includes the edge and attitude that come with him. Brady’s comments made the line pretty plain: Buffalo is willing to live with some of the messier moments if it means getting the player and the energy it wants on that side of the ball.
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Bills Keep Winning But One Concern Isnt Going Away
The Bills kept rolling in Las Vegas, outlasting the Raiders 33-30 in Week 6 to move to 5-1, and Josh Allen did his part with 255 passing yards and two touchdowns. It was the kind of road win that usually says plenty about a teams staying power, especially when it comes in a game that was tight all the way through.
Even so, the mood around Buffalo isnt exactly all-clear. The win helped keep the Bills near the top of the league picture, but the same lingering issue keeps surfacing after every victory: the defense still has to convince people it can be more than just a side note to Allens offense. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Face A C.J. Gardner-Johnson Problem Before Tough Stretch
The Bills secondary is suddenly dealing with an unwelcome wrinkle as C.J. Gardner-Johnson sits at the center of an NFL discipline case heading into a pivotal part of the schedule. The league suspended the safety for one game without pay after determining he violated the sportsmanship rule during the game against Las Vegas, leaving Buffalo with an unexpected absence to navigate around after its Week 7 bye.
Unless an appeal changes the outcome, Gardner-Johnson is set to miss the Week 8 matchup with Baltimore, a game that already looms large for Buffalo. Coach Joe Brady said the team will not add any further punishment and expects Gardner-Johnson back in the lineup once he is eligible again, but for now the Bills have to prepare for a stretch that gets tougher with one of their defensive pieces unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Trade Deadline Could Hinge On One Proven Pass Rusher
Buffalos bye week arrives with the Bills sitting at 5-1 and the offense humming behind Josh Allen, but the other side of the ball still looks like the area most likely to shape the rest of the season. With the trade deadline approaching, the front office has a chance to decide whether to simply ride the current formula or go after a defender who can change the tenor of the pass rush.
One name that keeps surfacing is Colts defensive end DeForest Buckner, a proven interior threat who would fit the kind of upgrade Buffalo has been searching for. The fit makes sense on paper, and his contract situation only adds to the intrigue, which is why this is the kind of rumor worth watching as the Bills weigh how aggressive they want to be before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]