Jul 24, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll during training camp at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One Veteran Raiders Player Looking to Make His Mark

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Aug 2, 2025 12:00 PM ET

If there is something that we are getting from the Las Vegas Raiders training camp, it is competition. That is one thing that head coach Pete Carroll has preached from the first day he was hired. And Carroll has kept that same energy all offseason long and now in training camp. He wants all his players to compete every chance they get. It is going to do the Raiders good all season long in 2025.

The Raiders have a mix of veteran and young players competing. And that is a good thing. The veterans are teaching the young players, at the same time, they are competing with them. But at the end of the day, the Raiders are going to go with he player that gives them the best chance to win this season.

One player who is looking to make a mark and have a starting role for the Raiders is veteran safety Lonnie Johnson Jr.

"Honestly, just continue to put my head down and continue to work, man. And honestly, I'm here every day early studying, making sure I do everything right to earn the respect from [John] Spytek Mr. Davis, and Tom Brady, just to earn a different contract," said Johnson Jr.

"It's a prove-it deal for me. It's a prove-it deal for my family, because I'm tired of moving. I'm tired of flying them out every year. I've got a wife and four kids at home, so I want to retire a Raider, honestly. When I'm done, I want to finish my career here."

"It's hard, man. That's the toughest part about it, and then that just makes you want to go harder and I pride myself on that this year. Like I want the coaches to know that like, 'Okay, this is what y'all gave me, but I'm going to earn it. I'm going to earn it."

"I don't want y'all to give it to me. I want y'all to see that I'm working my tail off.' I'm working my tail off, and I'm going to earn whatever that they see fit for me in the future, or whether that happen early or not, but I'm going to earn it so I can retire a Raider. I do not want to move. [John] Spytek, you hear me? I do not want to move. Mr. Davis, I don't want to move. Tom Brady, I don't want to move. I want to retire a Raider."