C.J. Gardner-Johnson's suspension ended, and his time with the Buffalo Bills ended right behind it.
Jordan Poyer wasn't stunned by the quick exit. The former Buffalo safety said he had questions about the pairing well before the spitting incident, tracing his concerns to training camp and how Gardner-Johnson would operate within the defense.
"I saw this coming in training camp," Poyer said during a "Just Football" discussion shared by the NFL on CBS.
Poyer pointed to Gardner-Johnson livestreaming during camp as the moment that prompted him to wonder how the arrangement would work. Having played in Buffalo, he began thinking about the conversations taking place throughout the week and the communication required in its secondary.
He credited Gardner-Johnson's ability and championship experience. His criticism centered on whether the safety's approach worked within Buffalo's system.
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"His style of play just didn't necessarily fit what the Bills were trying to do in that defense," Poyer explained .
He then laid out the requirements that he believed were missing.
"You have to be able to communicate. You have to be able to talk to each other. You have to be able to trust each other," Poyer said .
From his perspective, there appeared to be a barrier between Buffalo's defensive plans and what Gardner-Johnson wanted to do on the field.
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That is a significant criticism at safety, where one player's decision can affect the coverage around him. A secondary needs everyone working from the same instructions when the ball is snapped.
Poyer was offering his assessment of the fit. Buffalo's announcement did not detail those concerns.
Buffalo announced Gardner-Johnson's release Tuesday, ending a stint that included six starts, 26 tackles and one interception.
The move followed his one-game suspension for spitting toward Raiders players during Buffalo's Week 6 victory. The incident and subsequent discipline had already put Gardner-Johnson's future under scrutiny .
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While he served the suspension in Week 8, Buffalo used the available roster spot to sign defensive back Te'Cory Couch. The Bills kept Couch on the active roster when they released Gardner-Johnson.
Poyer also pointed to Buffalo's performance without the suspended safety. He thought the defense, which ranks 24th on PFN's Defense Impact Metric , looked more organized against Baltimore, with players communicating and getting set before the snap.
"They seemed to be in a lot more rhythm," Poyer said .
Buffalo won that game 36-10, although Poyer acknowledged an important limitation in the comparison. Baltimore ended up playing its third-string quarterback after injuries to Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley.
That makes the result difficult to treat as a sweeping verdict on Gardner-Johnson. Poyer's argument was more specific, focused on the preparation and coordination he saw.
Gardner-Johnson's next team will get a player with proven ability. Poyer's assessment leaves the next coaching staff with a question worth answering before signing him. How will that ability work alongside everyone else?
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
