Darnay Homes Staying in Las Vegas

Holmes played in 16 games for the Raiders in 2024, making one start. He was a fourth round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, where he played for his first four seasons, playing 54 games and starting in 11 contests.

The retainment of Holmes will certainly help foster a competitive environment within the Raiders' cornerbacks room. The loss of Nate Hobbs certainly hurts, but Jakorian Bennett took a big leap in Year 2 and Jack Jones is still a very serviceable cornerback with youth still on his side.

The signing of Lonnie Johnson Jr. is a telling sign that Pete Carroll, a defensive backs guru, sees something special in the former Carolina Panther. Keeping Holmes is another positive sign.

It will be interesting to see how Holmes fits in the grand scheme of Patrick Graham's defense under Carroll.

Las Vegas Raiders On SI's Hondo Carpenter recently wrote of the significance of Johnson's signing. It is reflective of the thinking that led to Holmes' re-signing.

"They didn’t gamble.  His cost was not high, but Vegas is known for the little bets that pay off.
While the Raiders under Spytek and Carroll aren’t averse to risk, they aren’t stupid," wrote Carpenter. "Johnson was not a risk. He could be moved out without anyone worrying about the salary cap implications. But if he shows what people have been waiting for, the Raiders have hit the proverbial jackpot. I reached out to someone from a previous team that Johnson was with. I admitted to them that while I was aware of him, I didn’t see anything, yet that narrative doesn’t fit with what I know about Spytek and what I have learned about Carroll. The NFL Executive told me, 'Lonnie is a great guy.  He is a good guy, but some guys need time to mature and grow into themselves.  He has all of the intangibles, and is a great person.  You want to believe in him.'"

The Raiders are building a team in Carroll's vision, and as a Super Bowl-winning coach, it signals to potential big things ahead.