Trending Now - Raiders and Bills Swap Draft Picks; Koonce Returns to Vegas
WHO:
Malcolm Koonce, defensive end, Las Vegas Raiders
Taron Johnson, a native of Sacramento, California, played collegiately at Weber State from 2014 to 2017.
Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Taron Johnson, NFL
WHAT:
The Las Vegas Raiders re-signed DE Malcolm Koonce.
Koonce has played in 56 career games with 14 starts, totaling 74 tackles (46 solo), 17 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
In 2025, Koonce appeared in 17 games, finishing second on the team with 4.5 sacks and adding 27 tackles (12 solo), one forced fumble, and 13 quarterback hits.
Koonce posted career highs in 2023 with 40 tackles, 8.0 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles.
Taron Johnson earned All-Big Sky honors three times and was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP in 2017.
The Las Vegas Raiders acquired cornerback Taron Johnson and a 2026 seventh-round pick (228th overall) from the Buffalo Bills.
The Raiders sent a sixth-round pick (182nd overall) in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Bills as part of the trade.
Taron Johnson has played in 113 games with 87 starts, recording 569 tackles (410 solo), 23 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, six interceptions, 48 passes defensed, eight forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries during his career.
In 2025, Johnson played in 11 games, recording 57 tackles and four passes defensed.
Johnson earned All-Pro honors in 2023 and was named to the Pro Bowl that season after recording a career-high of 98 tackles (72 solo), 1.0 sack, eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
WHERE:
Peekskill, New York (Koonce's hometown)
Henderson, Nevada (Las Vegas Raiders' location), Buffalo, New York (Buffalo Bills' location)
WHEN:
Koonce enters his sixth season with the Raiders in 2026.
The trade was made official with the start of the new league year on March 6th, 2026.
Taron Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round (121st overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Johnson played collegiately at Weber State from 2014 to 2017.
WHY:
Koonce was originally selected by the Raiders in the third round (79th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Johnson was originally listed for release on March 6th, 2026, but instead of releasing him, the Buffalo Bills opted to trade him.
The Buffalo Bills opted to trade Taron Johnson instead of releasing him, as he was originally listed for release.
HOW:
Koonce was re-signed by the Raiders, as announced by the club.
The trade was made official with the start of the new league year on March 6th, 2026, and involved a pick swap where the Bills received the Raiders' sixth-round pick (No. 182 overall) in exchange for Johnson and their seventh-round pick (No. 228 overall).
The trade involved a pick swap, with the Bills receiving the Raiders' sixth-round pick in exchange for Johnson and their seventh-round pick.
(UPDATED March 12, 2026 05:21 UTC)
The Las Vegas Raiders have re-signed defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who is entering his sixth season with the team. Koonce, originally selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, has played in 56 career games, recording 74 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Last season, he finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks and achieved career highs with 40 tackles and eight sacks in 2023.
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(UPDATED March 12, 2026 03:43 UTC)
In a significant move, the Buffalo Bills have officially traded Taron Johnson, a standout defensive back who earned All-Big Sky honors three times during his college career at Weber State. Originally listed for release last Monday, the trade was finalized with the start of the new league year, involving a pick swap that sent Johnson and the Bills' seventh-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Johnson, who was named the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP in 2017, hails from Sacramento, California.
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(UPDATED March 12, 2026 01:32 UTC)
In a significant move, the Las Vegas Raiders have acquired cornerback Taron Johnson along with a seventh-round pick from the Buffalo Bills, while sending a sixth-round pick back to Buffalo. Johnson, who has played 113 games with impressive stats including 569 tackles and six interceptions, was previously an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2023. This trade became official with the start of the new league year on March 6, 2026, as the Bills opted to trade Johnson rather than release him.