The Bills’ trip to Las Vegas in Week 6 carries a little extra edge for one familiar face.
Taron Johnson, who spent eight seasons in Buffalo after the Bills drafted him in 2018 out of Weber State, is set to line up against his old team for the first time since being dealt to the Raiders this past offseason. For a player who carved out a long run as one of Buffalo’s most trusted nickel corners, Sunday offers a chance to show the Bills they gave up on the wrong guy.
Johnson was one of the better fits from the Sean McDermott era, a physical slot defender who did his best work in the middle of the field. At his peak, he was regarded as the best nickel corner in the game, and he delivered some huge moments along the way. His defining highlight in Buffalo came in the 2021 playoffs, when he intercepted Lamar Jackson and returned it 101 yards for a touchdown in the Divisional Round, one of the biggest plays in NFL history.
His exit from Buffalo came after years of solid play, though the move itself was not exactly a shock. The Bills’ original plan was to release him, but they ended up working out a trade with Las Vegas that included a Day 3 draft pick swap. That deal sent Johnson to the Raiders instead of simply cutting ties.
Now he gets a crack at the team that drafted him and a defense that changed around him. Johnson’s time in Buffalo ended as the coaching situation shifted, and while he might not have been an ideal fit for Jim Leonhard’s defense, the Bills’ struggles against the pass make it fair to wonder whether they could have used him.
Through five games with the Raiders, Johnson has 22 total tackles, plus a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The one thing missing so far is an interception, and getting his first one against Buffalo would make for a pretty tidy storyline.
In Other News...
Josh Allen Is One Run Away From Another Rare Bills Moment
Josh Allen has already carved out a place in NFL history with his legs, and the next milestone is sitting close enough to feel inevitable. The Bills quarterback owns the league record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 87, and his combination of power, patience and improvisation has made him one of the most dangerous dual threats the position has ever seen.
A meeting with the Raiders offers Allen a chance to add another rare marker to that resume, especially against a defense that has struggled to slow down runners. Buffalo has seen this before with Allen, where one productive Sunday can push him into territory occupied by only a tiny group of quarterbacks, and this matchup gives him another opportunity to keep climbing. [Read more 🡒]
Keon Coleman Is Giving The Bills A Reason To Rethink His Ceiling
Keon Colemans second season in Buffalo has started to look a lot more like the kind of development the Bills hoped for when they brought him in. After a difficult 2025, the receiver has opened 2026 with improved production, and the change has lined up with Joe Brady taking over the offense. Brady has publicly backed Coleman, and the early results suggest the coaching shift has helped the young wideout settle in and play with more confidence.
Through five games, Coleman has become a more consistent part of the passing game and has already given Buffalo a reason to revisit where his ceiling really sits. ESPN analyst Seth Walder was bullish on that possibility before the season, projecting a breakout that would put Coleman well above last years totals, and Colemans current pace makes that outlook look a lot less ambitious than it did in September. The question now is whether this start is the beginning of a true leap, or just the first stretch of a longer climb. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Stars Head To Vegas With History Suddenly Within Reach
The Bills head into their game against the Raiders with a few milestone watch items bubbling in the background, the kind that tend to pop up when a veteran core has been productive long enough to start climbing the record book. Josh Allen is already off to the best possible start as a runner, holding the NFL mark for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown to open a season, and the rest of Buffalos skill group also has a chance to make its mark while the team is still chasing bigger goals in Las Vegas.
Greg Rousseau, Dawson Knox and Khalil Shakir each have something within reach on Buffalos all-time lists, giving this matchup a little extra meaning beyond the standings. The most eye-catching chase belongs to Allen, who is within striking distance of another rung on the NFLs rushing touchdown chart, while Knox has a narrow path to move up the Bills receiving yardage ladder if the offense can keep feeding him at the right time. [Read more 🡒]