The Raiders are a whole new team this season, with Pete Carroll as the HC and Tom Brady having a larger say in the team’s affairs. Their priority was to get a QB for the team. And Matthew Stafford‘s name was tossed around a lot until the Rams put an end to it. So, Coach Pete first sorted the QB situation by bringing in Geno Smith. And now he is ready to build a team around his QB. The Steelers should learn, this is how you get things done. But anyway, now that Geno is here, the Raiders are collecting other pieces of the puzzle as well.
The Raiders have been on a CB hunt for a few days now, and rumors were that Pete Carroll might sign Vikings Pro Bowl CB Byron Murphy. Well, the team has found their CB, and no, it’s not Byron. Coach Pete has brought on board Lonnie Johnson Jr., straight from the Panthers‘ defense. The 29-year-old, in his six-year career, has had stints with five teams. On Monday, NFL insider for FOX, Jordan Schultz, reported that the Raiders have signed the veteran CB. The details of the contract are still not out yet.
Lonnie Johnson, Jr. to the #Raiders: Proven veteran and sure-handed tackler with 4 career INTs and 15 career PBUs. A solid pickup for Pete Carroll’s defense. https://t.co/Y9TJRT8ubb pic.twitter.com/pLCZ5SRW9W
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 11, 2025
The Texans picked the Kentucky alum in the second round of the 2019 draft. In 2022, the team traded him to the Chiefs, and ever since, he has been shifting teams every year. Last season, with the Panthers, Lonnie played 15 games. The CB recorded seven tackles in 15 games. So, his numbers are not that great, but Coach Pete is spectacular at his job, especially when it comes to training the defensive line.
For now, it would be too early to judge whether this pick was a hit or miss by the Raiders. But the team needed to get someone after their CB Nate Hobbs got a flight ticket to Green Bay.
Pete Carroll and the Raiders fill Nate Hobbs’ void
Nate Hobbs‘ contract extension with the Raiders was pending this year. But the team was unsure about offering him one. The 25-year-old has struggled to stay healthy over the past seasons, missing 17 games since his debut in 2021. The first two seasons were good for him, but in 2023, the Illinois alum injured his ankle during the season opener against the Broncos. Then, last season in Week 9, Nate injured his ankle again, causing him to miss four straight games. And that was enough for the Raiders to look for a replacement.
The 25-year-old hit the lottery in free agency as the Packers signed him to a four-year contract worth $48 million. That means Nate would pocket an average $12 million per season. The CB’s new deal also includes $16 million in guaranteed money, so it’s raining money for Hobbs this season. While Brian Gutekunst hesitated to spend dollars on DK Metcalf (or maybe because of it), he rained cash on the first day of free agency for Hobbs.
“I’m ecstatic. It has not sunk in yet. I’m still dumbfounded by the opportunity, and I am ready to get to work,” told Hobbs to NFL Insider Josina Anderson who reached out to the CB on a call. The 25-year-old feels that being with the Raiders has prepared him to face anything that might come his way. “Being with the Raiders in that division and facing those quarterbacks, I feel like I’m ready for anything [in the NFC North], and I am going in with a lot of confidence.“
Well, now both the Raiders and Packers have locked in their CBs. It will be interesting to see how these moves play out on the gridiron.
The post Pete Carroll Adds NFL Veteran to Locker Room as Raiders’ CB Signs $48M Deal With Green Bay Packers appeared first on EssentiallySports.
