With safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson out, and veteran Jimmie Ward facing legal issues, the Houston Texans are signing Jalen Mills.
Texans Signing Former Super Bowl Champion to Shore Up Secondary originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
With safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson out with a knee injury, and veteran Jimmie Ward facing legal issues, the Houston Texans are adding some depth to their secondary by signing a Super Bowl Champion.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Texans are signing veteran free-agent safety Jalen Mills.
With Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffering a knee injury and safety Jimmie Ward facing legal issues, Houston is signing veteran free-agent safety Jalen Mills, per his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. pic.twitter.com/0vKp7ORglk
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 10, 2025
Mills, 31, played for the New York Jets last season. In nine games, he recorded 44 combined tackles, six passes defended and an inception. A seventh round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, Mills helped lead the franchise to their first Super Bowl victory in 2018 against the New England Patriots.
In nine seasons with the Eagles, Patriots, and Jets, Mills played in 115 games (91 starts) and has 450 tackles, 59 passes defended, and eight interceptions.
The signing of Mills comes during a much needed time for the Texans.
On Thursday, Gardner-Johnson was carted off the practice field and Jimmie Ward was arrested for violating terms of his release stemming from a felony assault charge in June. While the NFL reviews Ward's case, with a suspension likely, tests showed C.J. Gardner-Johnson's ACL is intact and he could return as early as Week 1.
“C.J. is in great spirits,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said following Saturday's preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. “He’s doing well. So we’re excited that he’ll be fine. Take some time, he’ll continue to progress and get better.
“So, thankfully, we’ll be seeing him back on the field this year, and always, with all of my guys with injury situations, it’s about those guys, being caring for them, making sure they are in a good spot mentally and physically.”
The Texans continue preseason play against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday, August 16.
Related: Texans Release Unofficial Depth Chart Ahead of Preseason Opener Against Vikings
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
