Since the start of free agency, it’s clear the Las Vegas Raiders are attempting to get better under rookie head coach Klint Kubiak.
General manager John Spytek was a smooth operator this past Monday landing impact free agents on both offense — center Tyler Linderbaum the prized catch — and on defense — Las Vegas has legitimate linebackers in Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker — on Day 1 of free agency.
And in between the start of the legal tampering period and the official stat to the NFL’s new league year on Wednesday, Spytek found himself without the two additional first-round picks he obtained in a suddenly-nixed trade for edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
By all accounts, Crosby is focused on remaining in Silver & Black and thus, the Raiders defense — to be helmed by rookie defensive coordinator Rob Leonard — has gotten better on paper. Dean, Walker, edge rusher Kwity Paye, and re-signed in-house free agent Eric Stokes impressively bolster the defensive roster.
Las Vegas’ general manager made a key maneuver the weekend before the start of free agency to bolster the defense: Trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills to obtain slot cornerback Taron Johnson and a seventh-round selection. Johnson was initially slated to be simply released by the Bills but Spytek wasn’t keen on competing for a premiere veteran slot corner on the open market.
The 29-year-old Johnson, a fourth-round pick (121st overall) out of Weber State by Buffalo in the 2018 NFL Draft, brings plenty of experience and production heading into Year 9, this time as a Las Vegas Raider. The veteran is in the upper echelon of interior defenders due to his physical tackling ability and read-and-react skill set to make plays on the football.
By The NumbersTaron Johnson, Cornerback
- 2025: 13 games (eight starts) 57 total tackles (34 solo), one stop for loss, four pass deflections
- Career (2018-25): 113 games (87 starts), 572 total tackles (411 solo), 23 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 11 quarterback hits, six interceptions, 48 pass deflections, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries
Johnson gives Leonard a versatile cornerback who is comfortable in the box at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, can blitz the passer, and can cover a variety of pass catchers from shifty slot types to bigger wideouts and even tight ends.
That aggressive play style, which makes Johnson one of the better slot cornerbacks in the NFL, takes a toll on his body. You don’t become a elite run stopper without paying a physical price, as evidenced by Johnson missing four games in 2025 and five in 2024 due to injury. Which makes competition in the offseason key to ensure Johnson earns his stripes in Las Vegas and gives the Raiders another viable option to play slot cornerback if the veteran misses time.
The in-house options come down to two younger Raiders in Greedy Vance and Decamerion Richardson. Vance stands 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds at 24 years old while Richardson is 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds at a also 24 years old.
Of the two, Vance earned more defensive snaps in 2025 with 92 and totaled eight tackles (seven solo) with one pass deflection in six games as an undrafted free agent out of USC.
Richardson, on the other hand, played just 13 snaps on defense (in the season finale) and was more a special teams mainstay with 204 snaps and 11 special teams tackles.
But there are intriguing prospects in the 2026 draft class.
Let’s start with Miami’s Keionte Scott. The 5-foot-11 and 193-pound cornerback has a similar profile to the newly acquired Johnson. This Hurricane defender is a fiery tackler who is aggressive, physical, and smart as he evades blocks and can drop the hammer on run plays. He’s also an intelligent blitzer which allowed him to rack up 13 tackles for loss and five sacks this past season for Miami. Scott is an older prospect that turns 25 in August, but he’s a readymade slot corner heading into the pros.
Then there’s Clemson’s Avieon Terrell. A smooth press-man cover corner who can mirror receivers while providing quick-trigger run support and a blitzer, Terrell is equal parts nuisance against the pass and enforcer when going downhill as a tackler. In three seasons at Clemson, the 5-foot-11 and 186-pounder totaled 125 tackles (90 solo), nine stops for loss, four sacks, three interceptions, 25 pass deflections, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Finally, Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds. Smaller of frame at 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, this Hoosier cornerback is a willing run defender who can slip blocks and swiftly get to ball carriers while providing tenacious cover man on the back end. His lack of size likely pushes Ponds inside where teams can take advantage of both tackling and coverage skills. Ponds closed out his collegiate career (two seasons in Indiana) with 169 total tackles (112 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 33 pass deflections, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
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