Raiders’ Free Agent Signings Highlight a Clear Vision for Defensive Success
The influence of Pete Carroll and John Spytek on the Raiders’ secondary is becoming increasingly evident after their first wave of free-agent acquisitions.
Las Vegas bolstered its defense by bringing in safeties Jeremy Chinn and Lonnie Johnson Jr., along with cornerback Eric Stokes all three coming from NFC teams.
Chinn was part of the Washington Commanders’ defense that helped propel the team to its first NFC Championship appearance in over three decades. Before his one-year stint in Washington, he spent four productive seasons with the Carolina Panthers, who drafted him in 2020.
Johnson, another former Panther, is set to join his fifth team in seven seasons. While he mainly contributed on special teams in 2024, he previously started 19 games over three seasons with the Houston Texans.
Stokes, a former first-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2021, started 32 games during his tenure. His rookie campaign was impressive, with 14 pass deflections, but injuries have slowed his progress in recent years.
Despite their different paths to Las Vegas, all three newcomers share two defining traits: size and physicality.
At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Chinn brings an imposing presence to the secondary. He joins a safety group that already includes Isaiah Pola-Mao, another towering defensive back at 6-foot-4. Chinn has built a reputation as a versatile defender, playing significant snaps at nickel corner, free safety, and box safety last season.
During his introductory press conference, Chinn expressed enthusiasm for his role in the Raiders’ defense, likening it to how Pete Carroll utilized Kam Chancellor in Seattle’s legendary “Legion of Boom” defense.
“Coach Carroll’s vision for me in this defense was very intriguing,” Chinn said. “I can process a lot within a defense, playing both close to the line of scrimmage and deep while understanding the bigger picture.”
Johnson, at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, also brings size and versatility. Originally drafted as a cornerback, he transitioned to safety while in Houston, a move that broadened his skill set. He now reunites with defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson, who worked with him in New Orleans in 2023.
While Johnson is eager to carve out a bigger defensive role, he’s also ready to make an impact on special teams.
“I’ve been playing special teams the last few years, and I won’t shy away from that,” Johnson said. “It can be a momentum shifter if I lay a big hit and the crowd lets out an ‘Ooh,’ that energy carries over to the defense and gets us rolling.”
Stokes, another physical defender, brings elite speed, evidenced by his 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the 2021 NFL Combine. He thrives in press-man coverage, a staple of Carroll’s defensive philosophy, which has been successful with corners like Richard Sherman and, more recently, Devon Witherspoon.
“The way Coach Carroll wants to use me reminds me of how he developed guys like Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell,” Stokes said. “That’s the kind of system I want to be a part of.”
After battling injuries early in his career, Stokes played all 17 games in 2024, proving he can be a reliable lockdown corner.
“I’m always smiling and respectful off the field, but once I step between those lines, I’m hungry,” he said. “I hate losing, and I bring that competitive fire every single play.”
With their combination of size, physicality, and versatility, Chinn, Johnson, and Stokes fit the mold of a defense built to dominate just as Carroll and Spytek envisioned.
