Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek on radio row during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This Raiders' Offseason Addition May be a Pleasant Surprise

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Ezekiel Trezevant | Last updated Jun 8, 2025 11:30 AM ET

Earlier this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders signed veteran safety Lonnie Johnson Jr., who spent last season with the Carolina Panthers. Like many of the other players the Raiders added this season, Johnson joins the Raiders with a chip on his shoulder, aiming to prove he is durable and versatile.

Last season, Johnson played nearly 80% of the Panthers' special teams' snaps, establishing tremendous value in one phase of the game. Johnson prides himself on his ability to play special teams, and will likely help the Raiders out there as well.

"Playing special teams can be an energy spark for like any team. So if I go out there the first play, get a big hit - I call it a boom hit, like if the crowd give one of them 'Oohs' out of the crowd - if you ever heard that, I probably hit somebody out there. But once you do that, you can spark the energy to the defense. They come out there, get a three-and-out, now we got momentum rolling. We got momentum rolling," Johnson said.

"So, that's the key part about special teams, I would say. You never know, you could change the game too with a turnover and just excelling at it. So, I had to learn in my career to adjust to that, because I was so used to playing in Houston on defense, and then I noticed if I wanted to stay in the league, you've got to have some type of adjustment to the game and that was special teams for me, and I'm thankful for that."

Still, although Johnson adds value to the Raiders' special teams, he may surprise many with how much he plays for the Raiders' defense this upcoming season.

While Raiders' Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham is still trying to figure out what pieces work where, Johnson is likely to have at least a little more of a role than many may think heading into the season. Johnson is excited to play for Graham.

"So, I think he's excited that he got a bunch of toys that he can play with too, and he's just moving everybody around like, 'Alright, let's see, I can put you here. You make some plays here. Okay, Chinn, you spin' and it makes the offense wonder like what's going on back there. Like, they don't know if I'm playing nickel right now or if I'm playing safety. So, it's a great tool for him. I know it's a great tool. So, I'm ready to see what he does," Johnson said.

"The fact that he gets a lot of guys that are interchangeable. Obviously, everybody knows I came in as a corner, played a little bit of nickel last year for the Panthers, and then playing safety. [Jeremy] Chinn, same thing. He can move around on the defense, too," Johnson said.

Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and talk to us about Johnson!

While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss Johnson in 2025

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: