The Las Vegas Raiders have had a relatively smooth offseason following the draft, but they do have one lingering issue. The team traded for cornerback Taron Johnson earlier in the offseason from the Buffalo Bills.
Though they didn’t invest much in the trade (they got Johnson for a late-round pick swap), he’s still a veteran slot cornerback who has been an All-Pro in the past. He decided to skip the beginning of OTAs before joining the team for mandatory workouts.
His decision to skip the voluntary portion of OTAs had to do with his contract. Right now, he only has a small amount guaranteed this season and no money guaranteed next year. The Raiders don’t seem overly eager to fix his contract, but ESPN’s Ryan McFadden believes they’ll figure out a solution.
“Johnson is a name to monitor from now until the season starts,” McFadden wrote. “Even though he is under contract until 2028, $1.2 million of his $8.1 million base salary in 2026 is guaranteed. He doesn’t have any guaranteed money in 2027.
“Johnson was traded from the Bills to Las Vegas to be the Raiders’ primary nickel cornerback. He turns 30 next month, and rookie safety Treydan Stukes has the versatility to play in the slot, raising the question of whether the Raiders would be willing to invest in Johnson for the foreseeable future. The best-case scenario is that the Raiders rework Johnson’s current deal with additional guarantees in his salary.”
Treydan Stukes Can Play in Slot if Johnson Doesn’t Work Out
A big problem facing Johnson is that he really doesn’t have any leverage. The Raiders didn’t give up much to give him, so if they simply decide to cut him, it wouldn’t be a huge loss. Plus, the team used a second-round pick on Treydan Stukes. While he’s listed as a safety, he has a slot of potential as a slot cornerback.
If Johnson isn’t on the team, Stukes could be the team’s nickel cornerback this season. That said, it is preferable to keep Johnson. He’s a veteran in a group of some very young defensive backs. That experience is valuable. Plus, having him would allow Stukes to play safety, which was a need for the Raiders coming into the offseason.
Johnson Better Off Sticking With Raiders
Another problem facing Johnson is that teams aren’t going to be lining up to pay him if he hits free agency. There’s a reason the Raiders were able to trade for him at such a low price.
He’s been banged up in recent years and hasn’t played at an All-Pro level since 2023. If he ends up making most of his $8.1 million base salary in 2026, that’s almost certainly more than what he’d get in free agency.
It’s easy to understand why he’d want more guaranteed money, but he hasn’t built up any equity with the Raiders. He’s new to the team and has to prove that he’s a good fit. If he comes into training camp, looks good and becomes a leader for the young secondary, then the chances that Las Vegas rewards him go up.
Raiders Predicted to Give New Contract to Disgruntled All-Pro