NFL great explains why one up-and-coming stud fits perfectly on the Raiders
It's no secret the Las Vegas Raiders roster could use some help. Despite being one of the best defenses in the league this last year, they still have holes on that side of the ball. Those holes need to be filled, and whoever the new general manager is will have plenty of opportunity to do […]
It's no secret the Las Vegas Raiders roster could use some help. Despite being one of the best defenses in the league this last year, they still have holes on that side of the ball. Those holes need to be filled, and whoever the new general manager is will have plenty of opportunity to do so.
One of the up-and-coming defensive players in this league at a position the Raiders need is defensive back Jaylon Johnson. He is what the kids call a "dawg."
Johnson is potentially on the move this offseason, and since he could be, Pro Football Focus posted a graphic of him asking their followers what the best destination would be for Johnson. Some of the options they listed were the Chicago Bears, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Buffalo Bills, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Of course, they posted that so people can give their opinion. That's what Chad Ochocinco, one of the more famous NFL receivers of all time, did. In his tweet, he said the Raiders would be the best destination for Johnson.
Raiders, he excels in man to man so you can do more defensively in other areas
He also threw the little lock emoji in there, insinuating he is a lockdown defender. And he can be. Ocho is right; he excels in man-to-man coverage, which is what Patrick Graham loves to play as the defensive coordinator. Even if Graham isn't back next season, having players who can play man-to-man is still a necessity.
Johnson finished 2023 with a 91-coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus. He had a 90.1 PFF grade against current playoff teams this season, too. Johnson was a beast and certainly someone the Raiders could use if they decide to pursue him in free agency. He has gotten better just about every year and had a career year this season. But, it will cost them.
Jaylon Johnson could cost Raiders a pretty penny
Johnson is set to become a free agent this offseason. Right now, we do not know who the Raiders will pursue or what type of players they will go after, considering there is no head coach or general manager in place. They have interviewed candidates for both the HC position and GM position, but nothing has been made final.
We know that a few different teams will likely pursue Johnson. According to A to Z Sports' Josh Queipo and Kyle DeDiminicantanio, Johnson projects to be franchise-tagged by the Bears, but if he were to be able to sign with another team in free agency, the contract could look something like this:
- 4 yrs $80M, $20.0M APY, $38M fully GTD
- Year One Cap Hit: $11 million
According to Spotrac, the Raiders are projected to enter the 2024 offseason with about $55 million in cap space, which is plenty enough to offer Johnson a contract if the Bears decide not to bring him back. Johnson would make the Raiders pass defense much better, too.
Now, it's time for the Raiders to hire the GM and HC so they can start getting prepped for free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.
Raiders’ 2024 general manager interview tracker
The Raiders have some tough decisions to make.
