Texans cut Gardner-Johnson after 0-3 start amid locker-room friction

The Houston Texans announced the surprise release of veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson on Tuesday, a move that came one day after Houston’s 17-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and leaves the team sitting at 0-3 early in the season. The roster shakeup came amid reports of friction between Gardner-Johnson and the organization and follows the recent reinstatement of safety Jimmie Ward from the league’s exempt list.

Gardner-Johnson, 27, started all three games for the Texans this season and logged roughly 94 to 96 percent of defensive snaps while recording 15 tackles. The former Super Bowl starter had been acquired from Philadelphia in an offseason trade that sent guard Kenyon Green to the Eagles. Team officials restructured Gardner-Johnson’s contract in recent weeks, converting a reported 6.58 million into a signing bonus, but opted to absorb a dead-cap hit and part ways rather than continue the experiment, according to league sources.

Reports citing people familiar with the situation said the decision was driven by behind-the-scenes friction. Those reports said Gardner-Johnson had been vocal about dissatisfaction with his role, wanting to blitz more, and had criticized...