The Las Vegas Raiders decided to keep cornerback Taron Johnson from hitting the open market, acquiring the former second-team All-Pro in a trade before he was released by the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo and the Raiders agreed to a late-round pick swap for the 29-year-old Weber State product. The Raiders will send a sixth-round pick to the Bills, who will send back a seventh-round selection.

The trade can’t be made official until the new league year begins Wednesday.

Johnson is set to make $8.67 million this year and $10 million next season, with $1.75 million of his 2026 salary guaranteed March 15.

It’s a low-risk move for a player who fills a need and has shown he can play at a high level.

Johnson has spent his entire career with the Bills and has been one of the top slot corners in the NFL, but was set to be released in a salary cap-saving move.

The Raiders probably were able to gather positive intel on Johnson from one of their new assistant coaches.

Raiders senior defensive assistant Al Holcomb has been on the defensive staff with the Bills the past three seasons and worked with Johnson, who has a reputation as a great leader and presence in the locker room.

Johnson’s elite 2023 season has been followed by two lesser campaigns, including last season when he was coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in the 2024 playoffs.

Cornerback was one of the team’s top needs in free agency, which begins Monday. One of the team’s top priorities will be trying to retain the services of Eric Stokes, who had a breakout season on a one-year deal in 2025.

The team will still have nearly $120 million in cap space pending the planned release of quarterback Geno Smith this week.

During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” last week, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered an unprompted endorsement of Johnson when speaking about why Buffalo was one of the first teams to play nickel almost exclusively regardless of the offense’s personnel groupings.

“Because Taron Johnson is one of the best players in the league and one of the most underrated players in the league, I think, for whatever reason,” Rodgers said. “He can play a box linebacker and stop the run and he can cover guys.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.