Things have been pretty quiet for the Las Vegas Raiders since the draft, but they have been dealing with one dispute. Earlier in the offseason, the team traded with the Buffalo Bills for cornerback Taron Johnson.
He has no more guaranteed money left on his contract, which is something he’s not thrilled about. Johnson had decided to skip out on practice to start OTAs as he tries to get more guaranteed money on his contract.
The Raiders haven’t budged yet, and it looks like the veteran cornerback didn’t want to start officially holding out. The team posted photos of Johnson at practice on Monday.
Now, this doesn’t mean that Johnson isn’t still pushing for a better contract. The problem facing him is that the Raiders didn’t give up much to get him, and he hasn’t played a snap for the team.
There’s no loyalty between the two sides. Plus, the Raiders started giving second-round pick Treydan Stukes reps at nickel cornerback in OTAs, which may have been a message to Johnson that he’s expendable. He’s still set to make $8.1 million this season. That’s likely better than what he’d get in free agency. Perhaps if he shows the Raiders that he can still be an impact player during practice, they’d be more inclined to give him a better deal.
Should Raiders Fix Johnson’s Contract?
The Raiders aren’t the team that gave Johnson his current contract. Any issues he has are because of the deal he signed with the Bills. At the same time, that doesn’t mean the Raiders can’t help him out a bit.
It’s also easy to understand why Las Vegas would be apprehensive. Johnson has missed nine combined games the last two seasons and hasn’t looked like the same player who was named to an All-Pro team in 2023.
Johnson is also turning 30 before the season, which is when cornerbacks start to diminish quickly. The Raiders swapped a sixth-round pick for a seventh to get Johnson, so the investment is very low. They could cut him pretty easily if he struggles. Johnson is aware of that, so it’s not a surprise he wants a new contract, but it seems like the Raiders aren’t going ot give in yet.
If Johnson is willing to play, the team would be wise to let things play out. He’s under contract through the 2027 season, so there’s no rush from Las Vegas’ point of view.
Will Johnson Hold Out?
Johnson could be showing up to OTAs as a show of good faith, but it doesn’t mean that he’s not willing to hold out. If training camp gets around and the Raiders haven’t helped him out at all, perhaps Johnson is prepared to stop practicing again.
Whether or not the team is going to adjust his contract could depend on what he’s looking for. If he’s just looking for a little bit of guarantees, it likely wouldn’t hurt the Raiders too much to give him that. If he’s healthy, Johnson could be an impact player for the team this season.
Even though he’s back at practice, this will continue to be a situation to monitor.
Raiders Get Significant Update on Taron Johnson Amid Contract Dispute