Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Elandon Roberts: First Day Late Defensive Additions
The Las Vegas Raiders faced a challenging start to the 2025 free agency period, losing key defensive contributors Robert Spillane, Nate Hobbs, and Tre’von Moehrig. However, the team moved quickly to mitigate these losses by signing safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. and linebacker Elandon Roberts. These additions bring veteran experience, versatility, and physicality to a Raiders defense looking to maintain its competitive edge.
Lonnie Johnson Jr., a 29-year-old defensive back formerly with the Carolina Panthers, joins the Raiders after a career spanning 83 games with teams like the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and New Orleans Saints. While his 2024 season with Carolina saw him log just 13 defensive snaps, his 339 special teams snaps highlight his primary value. Johnson’s four career interceptions and 199 tackles demonstrate his ability to contribute when called upon. For the Raiders, he serves as a high-level backup safety and a core special teams player, helping to fill the void left by Moehrig, who signed a lucrative three-year, $51 million deal with the Panthers. Moehrig’s departure, after a breakout year with 104 tackles and 10 pass breakups, stings, but Johnson’s experience provides depth and stability behind younger safeties, ensuring the secondary remains functional.
Elandon Roberts, a 30-year-old linebacker from the Pittsburgh Steelers, steps into a more prominent role, directly addressing the loss of Robert Spillane, who joined the New England Patriots. Spillane, a tackle machine with 158 stops in 2024, was the heart of the Raiders’ linebacker corps. Roberts, with 140 games and 105 starts under his belt, brings a similar old-school, downhill style. His 147 tackles over two seasons in Pittsburgh showcase his run-stuffing prowess, making him a natural replacement. While he may not replicate Spillane’s communication skills as the defensive "green dot," Roberts’ physicality and reliability shore up a linebacker group that also lost depth with Divine Deablo’s departure to Atlanta.
Together, Johnson and Roberts somewhat offset the departures of Hobbs and the dynamic Moehrig-Spillane duo by adding seasoned depth. While the Raiders still need emerging talents like Tommy Eichenberg or additional signings to fully reload, these moves show Spytek is quietly working to plug as many holes as he can through free agency. Will it be enough? Are we worse than we were prior to free agency? Only time will tell.