Raiders Acquire Bills All-Pro CB Taron Johnson in Trade

Las Vegas swaps 6th and 7th round picks to land the veteran cornerback.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Las Vegas Raiders have acquired cornerback Taron Johnson from the Buffalo Bills in a trade, just days after the Bills had announced plans to release the veteran defensive back. The Raiders are swapping one of their sixth-round picks for a seventh-round pick from the Bills to complete the deal.

Why it matters

The trade allows the Raiders to add an experienced and productive cornerback to their secondary without having to wait for him to clear waivers. Johnson was a 2nd-team All-Pro in 2023 and has been a consistent contributor for the Bills, though his playing time diminished over the past two seasons due to injuries.

The details

The Bills had planned to release Johnson, 29, as part of their offseason roster moves, but the Raiders stepped in and struck a deal to acquire him instead. Johnson was the Bills' starting nickel cornerback but became expendable as the team shifts to a new defensive scheme under coordinator Jim Leonhard.

  • The trade was completed on March 9, 2026.
  • The Bills had announced plans to release Johnson just prior to the trade.

The players

Taron Johnson

A 29-year-old cornerback who was a 2nd-team All-Pro in 2023 with the Buffalo Bills.

Jim Leonhard

The new defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, who is implementing a new defensive scheme that made Johnson expendable.

Ian Rapoport

An NFL Network reporter who broke the news of the trade between the Raiders and Bills.

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What they’re saying

“The #Raiders are trading for #Bills veteran CB Taron Johnson, sources say. It's a 6/7 pick swap.”

— Ian Rapoport, NFL Network Reporter (Twitter)

What’s next

The Raiders will look to integrate Johnson into their secondary as they aim to improve their defense for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

This trade allows the Raiders to add a talented and experienced cornerback without having to wait for him to clear waivers, giving them an opportunity to bolster their defensive backfield ahead of the upcoming season.