News: Lonnie Johnson Jr. signs with Raiders

After letting Tre’von Moehrig walk, Las Vegas has brought in two safeties in free agency

The Las Vegas Raiders are signing safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. in free agency, according to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports.

Johnson played for the Carolina Panthers last season, who signed Tre’von Moehrig to a three-year, $51 million contract that could be worth up to $60 million. This is also the second safety the Raiders have signed since the news about Moehrig, agreeing to terms with Jeremy Chinn on Monday as well.

Once a second-round pick out of Kentucky, Johnson’s NFL career began with the Houston Texans in 2019. He spent three years with the Texans before spending one season with the Tennessee Titans (2022) and a year with the New Orleans Saints (2023) prior to signing with Carolina last offseason.

The 29-year-old who turns 30 in November has played in 83 career regular-season games with 20 starts. He’s racked up 199 total tackles, 15 passes defended and four interceptions in his career.

Johnson was primarily a special teams player with the Panthers last season, logging just seven total tackles, and will likely fill a similar role in Las Vegas while adding veteran depth to the team’s young safety position. He also has the versatility to line up at cornerback, where he played in college and at the beginning of his NFL career.