The Las Vegas Raiders made several changes to their defense as they attempted to revamp their linebacker unit and secondary. The new-look linebacker room has appeared to be a positive, as the group played well during training camp and the preseason.
However, the secondary has been a much different story, as the group will enter the season with plenty of questions. They will also be without Lonnie Johnson Jr. for at least four weeks after he was placed on injury reserve with a designation to return this season.
Johnson, a free agent addition this offseason, broke his right fibula in a mock game in early August. He had performed well in training camp and was expected to play a key rotational role, but his injury led the franchise to sign Terrell Edmunds, as they needed depth at safety in his absence.
Raiders practice squad safety Terrell Edmunds could contribute early on
While Edmunds was released as the team set their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, he was added back to the practice squad the following day. The veteran could play a significant role on the Raiders' defense in 2025, especially early in the season.
Las Vegas will only carry four safeties -- Isaiah Pola-Mao, Jeremy Chinn, Chris Smith II and Thomas Harper -- on its active roster to begin the season. The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vicent Bonsignore predicted, however, that Edmunds will still play a key role for the Raiders.
"My hunch: S Terrell Edmunds will be activated from the practice squad to the @Raiders game-day roster through the first month of the season to cover the absence of Lonnie Johnson Jr.," Bonsignore wrote. "Teams can promote [practice squad] players to game-day roster 4 times before having to put them on the 53."
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It would not be a surprise to see Edmunds active over the first few weeks of the regular season, as he would provide the Raiders with a veteran presence in a safety room that doesn't have much experience outside of Chinn.
Edmunds, the 28th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, should have an opportunity to prove that he deserves to retain a long-term roster spot once Johnson Jr. returns. Edmunds signed with Las Vegas on Aug. 10 and played in the final two preseason games. He recorded six tackles, four of them solo.
The eighth-year veteran safety has recorded 465 total tackles, 315 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, six interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 28 passes defended thus far in his career. He'll look to add to that for the Raiders in 2025.