Sal Capaccio and the signing of CJ Gardner Johnson

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I really wanted to give sale the day off.

I mean, not that doing this hit on the show would be the day off,

but the day off of our show, you know, you got anything on the calendar.

I got a 430, I was hoping.

But the bills went and made another signing yesterday,

and it's one that I think, you know, it's a very familiar name within the league anyway,

I think, to even some casual fans.

CJ Gardener Johnson, to run in tandem,

met safety, I assume, with Cole Bishop, and so here is sale for a few minutes to just sort of

give us the lowdown on what he thinks.

This is all going to mean and how it'll all fit together.

Good afternoon, sale. How are you today?

Pretty good, Bulldog. I'm just really happy it's you,

and not powerfully welcoming me to the show, right, at this point, to be quite honest with you.

So this is good. We're off to good start.

If you weren't with us earlier, for some reason, phone calls to this show,

when I started at three o'clock, all excited about the sabers,

and they go, come on in and tell me what you're enjoying about this

resurgence of the sabers.

Every call went to 930 WBN.

We don't know really why, but we fixed it.

I just, I don't know what happened.

So I want to know what, and it was like on their end.

That's what I want.

I know, right, right.

Yeah, like someone even make it on the air,

even like I wonder, right?

Anyway, well, CJ Gardner Johnson.

This happened right before the hockey game started last night,

and, right, he's a name player in the league,

maybe not always for the best reasons.

He's bounced around a lot, and, you know, I'd like to get into

why you think that might be, but this is a whole that's filled.

We taught yesterday, and I said, like, I'm kind of surprised

only two editions so far on defense.

Well, slowly, but surely here's a third.

And I assume this is a starting caliber player, right?

Yeah, interesting player too.

I mean, you know, there's been a lot of just talk about his

personality, what he brings to the field.

You know, the edge that he plays with.

You know, he's also a guy that's made plays.

I mean, he led the league in interceptions just a few years ago.

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It's 6th in 2022.

And I mean, Mr. Few Games that year too.

He had 6th again in 2024.

I want a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.

I mean, the guy can be a ball-hawk for sure.

The way he plays, he's just, he's kind of fearless.

He gets under your skin.

There's no doubt about that.

That's been a lot of the talk today.

And I agree with you.

I think he slots right in as a starting safety next to cold dish up.

You know, he does have corner experience,

but that's not going to happen on this team.

You know, at least as a starter.

Could he play that in a pinch?

Sure, I'm sure he could happen.

It could happen, but you have Christian Benford and Max Harrison.

Of course, as you're starting corners,

you had a hole, I think, at safety,

depending on what they thought about Jordan Hancock.

This probably gives us a better idea on that right now,

which is that maybe he's not ready to be in that role.

So I think right now you're looking at your starting.

Secondary pretty much what it's going to look like,

which is Harrison and Benford on the outside.

I'd be offered at Nickel and then Bishop

and CJ Gardner Johnson at safety.

Yeah, I mentioned he's bounced around a lot.

And even this piece, I think the Eagles lost

blakenship in free agency.

They are looking for a safety.

Does it concern you at all that they didn't go back

to the CJ Gardner Johnson well after having known him

as well as they do?

Like I'm wondering if they just didn't want to do that again.

Kind of thing, you know what I mean?

It's a fair question.

I don't know.

We don't know what the money was for either side, right?

What he's looking for in your right.

I mean, he's bounced around.

I mean, the guy's been in a league seven years

and he's already played on four different teams,

five different teams, sorry, five different teams.

But that counts the Eagles twice, I guess.

One, two, three, four, five teams went to the Eagles twice.

So moved around six times essentially.

So that's a fair question to ask,

but I'll also present this.

The Eagles brought him back after losing him once, right?

So he was on the Eagles in 22

and he went back to the Eagles in 24.

So, you know, there's a, there's a history there

of them bringing him back and, you know,

I don't know, does he wear out as welcome where he is?

Sure, it could happen.

You have personalities that rub people the wrong way.

There's no doubt I'm not saying that could happen.

It's going to happen or it has happened

everywhere he's been.

There's reasons, but that's also why you sign

with two or one year deal.

Come in here, ball, be a free agent

and go earn some more money somewhere.

And, you know, it's 28 years old right now.

I guess next year will be his 29 year old season.

He's young enough to still be able to cash in

and have more contracts like that.

Yeah, I guess it really depends on

how you want to position it, right?

If you like this idea, he's got, he's got,

he's got attitude, right?

He's, he's got flair and, you know, moxie.

And if you don't like this player,

then it's, he's a headache and, you know,

he's going to complain about why,

how he's being used or whatever.

I think it's really interesting that

this is a player who has been available numerous times.

And now with no Sean McDermott,

like this is the first player in a while.

I feel like that they've gone out and acquired

that had this level of, I don't know,

notoriety for just the, you know,

the personality and the trash talking

and the style of player that he is.

And I wonder if it's a player

that just would have never had a chance here

with McDermott as the coach.

It's funny, we've, I've heard this a lot

and I've had this discussion with you and other hosts

and I've read about it.

I certainly think it's a fair question.

I don't think it's, I don't think it's out of the realm.

I also think maybe we've gone a little too far

in thinking this and the reason I say that is

because there have been players here

and maybe they didn't acquire them

quite like this, right?

You're right.

The difference with CJ Garner Johnson is,

he has this reputation already.

He's bounced around the league

and the bills went out and got him, right?

So, but the bills also kept a tea,

a kept a player like Stefan Diggs on their team

that had a bit of a reputation.

But I'll look at a guy and I know this

is totally not the same player.

Alec Anderson plays on the edge, a lot, right?

And yet here, and yet the bills that he's been

with Sean McDermott and they've had him as a player.

Michael Hoyt, under Sean McDermott,

they went out and got him last year.

He was a guy known to bring the energy

get under player's skins.

We saw that in the Carolina game the first time.

So, I personally don't want to say

he would never be here under Sean McDermott.

I don't think that's the case.

I do think though that might be a little bit more

of an opportunity here for players like this to say,

look, we're going to kind of get maybe

from point A to point B to sign him a little bit quicker

than we normally would.

It is also fair to point out in that same context,

Sal, that there is a different defensive scheme here now.

You know, now that Sean McDermott wouldn't have needed a guy

who takes the ball away, playing safety.

But, you know, it's possible his skill set just fits better

in what Jim Leonard wants to do with this defense

and with the safeties than maybe what Sean McDermott

wanted to do with him.

That's right.

I also point to Jordan Poir, Jordan Poir.

You know, he came back here and he had a few times

where he was considered by, you know, fan bases.

He even hit Keon Coleman, remember,

when he was a member of Miami Dolphins.

And, you know, he came back here.

So like I said, I don't want to lean all the way into that,

but I agree with you on this premise too,

which is what did Jim Leonard say about defensive players

and who he likes to coach?

He does his best with guys who don't fit into a box

as the way he put it, positionless players.

This is CJ Gardner Johnson.

He's a guy that has played inside.

He's played safety.

He can do kind of anything you need him to do.

And he kind of totally fits that prototypical guy

that Jim Leonard was talking about

when he met with the media the first time.

So it looks like at least starter wise,

the secondary is filled out.

What's next on the list here, right?

I heard Trapaso and Geary were in all week

and the week before too, ahead of our show here on WGR.

And while they were on today,

the Jerry Sneed was released by the Tennessee Titans.

And they spent a few minutes talking about that

and whether that would be a fit.

Any thoughts on whether the bills should throw a line

in the water on him as maybe a trade-vious white depth

outside corner replacement?

Sure, I mean, he's a little bit younger than Trey White.

He's 29 years old, he just turned 29.

That's a player that's familiar with one of your rivals

in your conference, Kansas City, obviously.

Had some good years there.

He's had, I think, some injury issues

though the last couple of years.

He's only played 12 total games

over the last couple of years in Tennessee.

That's got to be something you look at

after playing pretty significantly the years before that.

I wonder, they're moving on.

What is the reason for that?

It would be just a depth piece here.

I don't know how much he's gonna cost.

It can't be too much.

Honestly, I would maybe revisit Trey White

before I did that.

I'm not saying it would be a guy

that you would be against having.

I don't know what the money would be.

You can't pay Trey White what you did last year.

What do they, I mean, honestly, Bulldog,

I think they're giving CJ Gander Johnson

about six million, the report is six million, right?

That's what they gave Trey White last year, six up to eight.

So they're kind of replacing that money

with how they paid Trey White.

I don't know what a guy likes to need would command.

You know, there's a couple of guys here.

You asked me what's next.

Well, I think you have to figure out a couple of things.

First of all, we don't know what they think

about Dorian Strong, right?

Dorian Strong can factor in that.

So he had neck surgery.

He said he's gonna come back,

but he did have a pretty devastating neck injury.

And we don't know.

Does the team think that he's going to be available

and come back and play?

That matters as far as how they approach it.

And then the other one is honestly,

what do they think about Dorian Williams?

Do they think Dorian Williams is truly

the starting inside linebacker next to Tarar Bernard?

Because that's the spot I go to next,

which is I wonder what they do at linebacker.

Because if they feel Dorian Williams fine,

they can feel that all they want,

but also say under this regime, under Brandon Bean,

they drafted Tremaine Edmonds as a young linebacker

to start right away.

Now, I know Matt Milano was actually drafted

right before Brandon Bean got here,

but he took over that rookie year

under Brandon Bean's leadership

and played for a long time as a young linebacker.

Tarar Bernard was drafted and then inserted

after a year as a young linebacker.

I wouldn't doubt if they look in the draft

for a good linebacker to put next to Tarar Bernard

and then, hey, let's have him compete against Dorian Williams,

but I think that might be the next spot

on the list they have to look at.

All right, Sal, what's the weekend looking like?

We are in an outdoor hockey tournament this weekend.

I think it's gonna be snowing and windy,

so maybe a little while.

Where's that river works or where?

Well, river works as part of it,

but tomorrow we're in East Aurora.

You ever go to the East Aurora?

Yes, I have been there.

Yes, we played, Owen played there

when he was a skater still,

like maybe the first or second year

he was playing hockey, we played there.

Yeah, so East Aurora,

and then we'll see where it falls on Sunday over the weekend.

So that's good.

I'm also gonna be the MC for the Makowish Gala

with Melissa Holmes from Channel Two tomorrow night.

And that's always a great event.

We raise a lot of money to help Makowish

and the foundation up there.

So that's tomorrow night.

So a lot going on this weekend.

We try to stay busy as you know, Bulldog.

Of course, Sal.

All right, man, thanks for this

and have a great weekend

and we'll touch base next week.

All right, you got it, buddy.

Thanks a lot.

That's our dude, Sal Capaccio

on the Western Hotline.

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And he thoughts on anything, Sal,

and I just talked about feel free.

The phones do work.

You won't be asked for your opinion

on whatever Tom Bowley's talking about today.

I hope I feel pretty confident

that won't happen.

803-050 is our number.

Anything on the Sabers, of course,

still open season there as well.

Paul Hamilton will join me for more on the Sabers

at the top of the hour.

Mike is away today along with Zach Jones.

I am the Bulldog and this is WGR.

This is attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law.

If you've been injured in an accident

and feel like no one is fighting for you,

it's time to fight back.

Paul Zari Law at 888-8-3rd.

That's what one call.

You can put a proven legal team on your side.

Zari Law has been serving the DMV for over 15 years,

proudly fighting for our local community.

I was born and raised right here in the DMV.

And my team is made up of experienced,

reputable local attorneys dedicated to fighting

for injury victims just like you.

Follow us on all social platforms at azari.law.

That's a-z-a-r-i-dot-l-a-w.

Don't wait, don't settle.

Fight back with Zari Law.

With offices in Maryland, DC, and Virginia,

my team and I are ready to stand up for you.

Paul, 888-8-2-8-3rd.

That's 888-8-2-8-HU-R-T.

And let us fight back for you.

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