The Las Vegas Raiders addressed the slot position in the 2026 offseason in a major way, starting with a trade for Taron Johnson, a long time Buffalo Bills starter. Then, during the 2026 NFL Draft, Treydan Stukes was looked at as a potential option at nickel after being selected in the second round.
During training camp, Johnson has played in the slot for most of the first-team reps, and Stukes has primarily played at free safety. That means that the slot corner running with the 2s has been former undrafted free agent Greedy Vance Jr., who joined the team last offseason.
Vance Jr. went undrafted coming out of USC because of his lack of size and athleticism. At 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, he ran a 4.64 40-yard dash, which severely hurt his draft stock. However, his play was draftable, which helped him land on the practice squad for the Silver and Black in 2025.
Raiders' Greedy Vance Jr. has a chance to display his talents this preseason
Vance Jr. had a strong preseason in 2025 and was stashed for the future. He was called up to the active roster in Week 9 for the first time and got 92 snaps overall during the season. He finished the year strong against the Kansas City Chiefs, where he allowed two receptions for just eight yards.
Now, Vance Jr. is the backup slot cornerback for the Raiders early in training camp. He is even getting work with the linebackers, which suggests that he will be playing in the box when he hits the field. He thrives as a tackler, with only one missed tackle last season and two in his senior year in college.
In camp, he has been making plays as well. He has picked off Fernando Mendoza two times already, displaying his ball skills inside at the slot. Vance Jr. has had a knack for the football since his days at USC.
During Week 1 of the preseason, Vance Jr. will get tons of playing time throughout the matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. It will be the start of his chance to put together a string of showings that help solidify him on the roster. He will want to duplicate what he did last year and take it to the next level.
If Vance Jr. can show off his talents, it might be the demise of another cornerback on the roster, such as Decamerion Richardson. Vance Jr. will have to display what he can do on special teams as well, Â where Richardson has thrived the past two seasons.
Football action should have all of Raider Nation excited, and Vance Jr. is certainly a player to watch to see if he can steal a spot on the 53-man roster.
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