Raiders To Acquire CB Taron Johnson

Las Vegas, NV — The Las Vegas Raiders have struck again ahead of free agency, landing veteran cornerback Taron Johnson from the Buffalo Bills in a late-round pick swap, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday. The Raiders will send a 2026 sixth-round selection to Buffalo and receive a seventh-rounder in return, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post, finalizing a deal that prevents Johnson from reaching the open market after initial speculation that the Bills would release him outright.

The transaction closes the book on Johnson’s eight-year run in Buffalo. The Bills chose the Weber State product in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, and he became a fixture in Sean McDermott’s defense, logging 101 regular-season appearances and recording a career-high four interceptions during his 2023 All-Pro campaign. That performance earned Johnson a three-year, $31 million extension in March 2024, briefly making him the league’s highest-paid slot cornerback.

Injuries have since derailed the 29-year-old’s trajectory. Johnson missed nine games over the past two seasons, including four in 2025, and was limited to 57 tackles and four passes defensed across 13 appearances (eight starts) last year. Pro Football Focus graded him 74th among 112 qualifying corners, a steep drop from his elite 2023 form.

Buffalo’s January coaching shake-up—McDermott was dismissed and offensive coordinator Joe Brady promoted to head coach—accelerated Johnson’s departure. New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard explored moving Johnson to safety, but the front office ultimately elected to move on, opting to extract value via trade rather than release him for nothing.

Las Vegas hopes the change of scenery reinvigorates the veteran. The Raiders surrendered star edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens on Thursday, stripping their defense of its most dynamic playmaker, yet they enter the offseason with abundant salary-cap space and draft capital. New defensive coordinator Rob Leonard will install Johnson as the primary slot corner, a role that has lacked stability in recent seasons. If Johnson fails to rebound, the Raiders can part ways in 2027 with no dead money and a $10.04 million cap savings, making the acquisition a low-risk, high-upside gamble for a roster facing multiple holes.

The trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins Wednesday, but both clubs have agreed to terms, per sources. Johnson is expected to report to Las Vegas for offseason workouts in April.

SEO keywords: