The Las Vegas Raiders’ ballyhooed secondary is suddenly in flux.
Safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. is out for the season with a broken fibula suffered during Saturday’s practice at Allegiant Stadium.
While Johnson, 29, has mostly been a reserve in the NFL, the veteran journeyman was looking to claim a legitimate role as the Raiders begin their rebuild under new coach Pete Carroll.
Unfortunately, they now must replace him. Where can they turn?
Justin Melo of Raiders Wire has identified a few potential options, most notably former Pro Bowler Quandre Diggs.
Why Might the Raiders Be Interested in Quandre Diggs?
With depth an issue at safety, Melo suggests the Raiders reach out to Diggs, who played five seasons (2019-23) for Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks. Diggs made three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances during that time, recording 14 interceptions from 2020-22.
Diggs, 32, suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury last year with the Tennessee Titans, but was recently cleared to return to play, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
Diggs had started every game the previous four seasons before his injury, and the Raiders certainly could use a veteran of his caliber in a remade secondary. For his career, Diggs has 24 interceptions with 56 passes defensed and five forced fumbles in 145 games (120 starts).
The other potential options listed by Melo: Justin Simmons and Marcus Maye.
What Does Pete Carroll Think of the Raiders’ Secondary?
Carroll, 73, has been bullish of the Raiders’ secondary. While it’s certainly nowhere near on par with the group he coached in Seattle, Carroll believes it can evolve into a productive one.
The Raiders have made a few noteworthy moves this offseason, adding cornerback Eric Stokes (one year, $4 million) and safeties Jeremy Chinn (two years, $16 million) and Jamal Adams (one year, $1.2 million) alongside returning cornerback Darnay Holmes.
The Raiders also used a third-round draft pick on Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter, a converted wide receiver.
“We’re really athletic, we’re really fast, and we’re big,” Carroll said at the start of training camp. “It’s an impressive looking group. I can’t remember ever having a group that looks more impressive than this group.”
Carroll, 73, famously coached the Legion of Boom in Seattle, helping lead the Seahawks to a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. The team’s iconic secondary, featuring cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner and safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, is widely regarded as one of the best in NFL history.
