The Bills were planning to release Taron Johnson. That's what all the NFL insider reports said.
Except before the new league year arrived and allowed them to actually do that, the Las Vegas Raiders called.
The Raiders were interested in Johnson, and since they knew he was on the verge of release, the trade cost wasn't much.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday night that the Bills will get a sixth-round pick from the Raiders in exchange for Johnson and a seventh-rounder.
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It's a way for Buffalo to get a tiny asset for a guy they planned on cutting loose anyway.
And it's a chance for the Raiders to take a chance on a former All-Pro nickelback.
Johnson was originally a fourth-round pick by the Bills in 2018 out of Weber State.
He played eight years with Buffalo, starting 87 of his 113 games.
He made 572 tackles and six interceptions while forcing eight fumbles and totaling eight sacks.
Johnson had seasons with 98, 94 and 90 tackles among his big campaigns in growing into a star.
In 2025, he played 13 games and had 57 tackles with four passes defensed and no interceptions.
He seemed to be in decline in 2025, but he's a worthwhile chance to take for the Raiders.
The Bills were parting ways for salary reasons regardless, so this ends up being just a slight detour on the same path for Buffalo.
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