Why Lonnie Johnson's Return Could Boost Entire Raiders Defense

The Las Vegas Raiders have not had the season they wanted. There is a lot that has not gone their way this season. They want to win, but have not been able to play consistent football to be able to do that.

They are still fighting and crawling to get the job done, there is not a player who has given up on this team. The Raiders might be out of it already, but with head coach Pete Carroll, this team is going to do whatever it takes to do their best to win a game.

Going into Week 11, the Raiders are 2-7, and it has not been the season that they expected to have. It has been disappointing to say the least. There are still more games to go, and it could be a time when every player is going to be evaluated for the future. The Raiders are going to look at these players and see if they are going to be a player that they can be with next season and beyond. Or are they going to be a player that they say they have to move on from?

Nov 2, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A player who has come back to the team and played well in his first game was safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. Johnson made his season debut in Week 10 after suffering an injury in the preseason that kept him out. Johnson was flying on the field and making plays last week. Going forward, he is going to be a great piece to the Raiders' defense and a difference maker.

Pete Carroll on Having Lonnie Johnson Back

"Well, he has a lot of confidence, and he brings a lot of confidence from his experience and all of that. He's working with Marcus [Robertson] and Joey [Joe Woods]," said Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. "He knows those guys really well. We trust the heck out of him. We were really excited about his role as he would fit it into the rest of the fellows when we started this thing off. So, he's excited about showing it, and we're excited about saying it."

Lonnie Johnson, Las Vegas Raiders New S — Lonnie Johnson, Las Vegas Raiders S | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"So, I mean, he's just getting started. I mean, this won't be his best game. He's going to improve as he goes, gains his confidence and all that, gets a chance to tackle a few more guys. He had a couple nice
tackles in the game, but he's a very well-versed football player and has a lot of variety to the things he adds."

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