The Las Vegas Raiders are no strangers to preseason “phenoms”. Same can be said about the other 31 teams in the NFL, really.
Usually, said standouts tend to be of the young variety, either an undrafted free agent (UDFA) or a player in their second or third year in the league. Case-in-point: Cian Slone. The undrafted rookie from North Carolina State shined in practices during training camp and produced in preseason action on both defense and special teams.
But there was another edge rusher who did exactly
that and more: Patrick Johnson.
Like his 23-year-old counterpart Slone, Johnson stood out in practices and jumped out in preseason action on defense and special teams. So much so, the 28-year-old veteran heading into his sixth season in the NFL earned a 53-man roster spot while Slone was waived during cutdown day but returned to the practice squad.
Johnson, who entered the league and spent the majority of is NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles as a seventh-round pick (234th overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, tops Slone in experience and and gameday production this preseason. And has the mentality required for NFL longshots as he was a July 27 signing by the Raiders — Slone in comparison was inked as an UDFA back on April 30.
By The Numbers
Patrick Johnson, Edge Rusher, 6th season
- 2025: 9 games (zero starts), 8 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack; 115 snaps on defense, 173 on special teams
- Career: 70 games (2 starts), 47 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery; 523 snaps on defense, 1,328 snaps no special teams
“You’ve got to believe in yourself before anyone else can believe in you,” Johnson told Raiders.com recently. “When it came to coming here, having my workout, I was so prepared. I told my wife, told my family, ‘Look, if they bring me in for a workout, I know I’m going to kill it. If they bring me in, I know I’m going to make this team.’”
Johnson is a feel-good story, but he earned his roster spot — without question. The Tulane product finished preseason action with 13 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble. That made the coaching staff and general manager John Spytek take notice.
So much so for Spytek, he pinpointed Johnson as the player that changed his evaluation of him the most during camp.
“I’ll give some respect and some props to Patrick Johnson,” Spytek said during his media availability this past Tuesday. “This is a guy that we signed on the eve of training camp, like, literally the eve of training camp, and credit to our pro department for setting up that workout and bringing quality guys in like him. And we had followed Patrick for many years with his career in Philadelphia and respected the kind of player and teammate and special teams player he is.
“But every day he showed up and worked, and he got better and better. And you go to the last preseason game against the 49ers, and it’s a make-or-break game for a lot of guys and who makes the first tackle on the first kickoff is Patrick Johnson.”
Spytek noted the preseason finale was indeed a make or break outing for roster hopefuls like Johnson and Slone, but it was the former that performed to make the 53-man roster. But the latter isn’t sliced liver as Slone made the practice squad and was someone that Spytek called out when asked about how the Achilles injury shelving third-round pick Keyron Crawford affected the edge rusher room.
“Well, it certainly hurt, and we were counting on Key (Keyron Crawford), but it’s the game of football, and it’s the next man up mentality,” Spytek said. “So, we’re grateful to have Patrick Johnson in the room, somebody that’s played in this league and proven it, and have Cian on the practice squad too as a guy that we’re developing and see playing good football for us here coming up.”
While not as locquacious as the general manager, head coach Klint Kubiak is in-sync with Spytek regarding Johnson.
“Yeah, I would just echo all the things that Spy said yesterday, said Kubiak. “Since the moment he got here, all he’s done is produce, work hard and be a great teammate. Expect that to continue.”
With a core group of defensive ends/edge rushers featuring Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye, and Malcolm Koonce, Johnson’s participation rate on defense isn’t projected to be overtly high. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard is likely to use a rotation as both games and seasons get deeper. Crosby will rarely leave the field (his uncanny stamina is simply ungodly) and both Paye and Koonce are going to get their fair share of defensive snaps.
Johnson’s workload on Joe DeCamillis special teams units will likely be heavy, though.
The 6-foot-2 and 248-pounder’s physicality, speed, and will were ever-present on special teams during the preseason and he has the experience and mentality to be a maven in DeCamillis’ group.
Johnson joins a strong core of special teams mainstays in linebackers Tommy Eichenberg, Cody Lindenberg, and Segun Olubi, wide receiver Dareke Young, and cornerback Darrell Luter Jr.
Olubi, who intially didn’t make the final 53 but was re-signed this past Monday after the Raiders placed second-year wide receiver Dont’e Thorton Jr. on injured reserve, noted a great special teams unit must showcase violence and attacking mindset. Johnson brings that in spades.
“I’m a guy that can go out there and make plays,” Johnson said. “Be disruptive on defense, but also I can do it on special teams. I’m going to show my experience out there. I just want to show the coaches and the front office that y’all brought a dog in here. I’ve got a lot to prove left and we’re just getting started.”
