John Spytek has made it clear that a deep 2026 NFL Draft class at the safety position made it easier for the Las Vegas Raiders to inject some much-needed talent there. Arizona's Treydan Stukes was coveted early in Round 2, and Spytek was able to still get him after trading down a couple of spots.
Stukes' arrival, however, sparks some instant change to the pecking order in the Las Vegas secondary. Due to Stukes' ability to operate all over the place, the roles of some incumbent pieces are in line to change.
ESPN's Ben Solak recently offered up some veteran players around the NFL who are on the hot seat after the draft. On the list is Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, who, in a contract year, could theoretically even be pushed to the trade block with Stukes' emergence.
Raiders' rookie who's the real threat to Isaiah Pola-Mao is hiding in plain sight
Solak described Pola-Mao's situation in Las Vegas after the selection of Stukes with the No. 38 overall pick.
"Pola-Mao played more than 1,000 defensive snaps for the Raiders last season, and while defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has left for Pittsburgh, new coordinator Rob Leonard is an internal promotion. It's rare to see a player used that heavily get completely benched for a rookie -- and to be clear, I don't think that will happen.
"But Pola-Mao played 861 snaps at a safety alignment last season via NFL Next Gen Stats, largely because the role of versatile box player was already occupied by Jeremy Chinn. Second-round pick Treydan Stukes played a ton of positions in college, but he finished his career at Arizona as a safety -- and he was announced by the Raiders as a safety when he signed his contract. He can play the slot, but his body type and play style translate best to safety -- specifically a deep middle safety. That's Pola-Mao's old job.
"I think the Raiders will end up in some sort of three-safety rotation, depending on how much time Stukes plays at nickel (with Taron Johnson also vying for snaps) and how often Chinn is at linebacker (now that Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean are in town). Put simply, there are a ton of snaps up for grabs in what was a poor safeties room last season, and Stukes might just be the best player in that group already. He's certainly the future, as both Pola-Mao and Chinn are rising free agents. Stukes might lead the position in snaps by the end of the season."
While Solak focused on Stukes, who undeniably alters the outlook for Pola-Mao in 2026 and beyond, the box defender role that the 31-game starter over the last two seasons is best-suited for makes another incoming rookie a big threat.
In the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders doubled up on former Arizona Wildcats by taking another safety in Dalton Johnson. While Stukes is rightly lauded for his versatility, Johnson played three spots in the Arizona secondary nearly an equal amount last season (via Pro Football Focus).
Box: 271 snaps
Slot Corner: 233 snaps
Free Safety: 247 snaps
In each of the two seasons before that, Johnson spent over 500 snaps in the box. In each of his three seasons as a starter for the Wildcats, he had at least 86 total tackles. If Johnson looks good in OTAs and training camp, the idea that he could become the primary backup to Chinn will gain traction.
The question would then become, despite some concern about the Raiders' overall depth at safety, where that leaves Pola-Mao as the year approaches. The answer could very well be on the bench, or, more ideally, if it comes to that, on the trade block and eventually exchanged for draft capital.
Pola-Mao's hold on a starting job in the Raiders' secondary became tenuous the moment Stukes was drafted. The selection of Johnson may have been with more of an eye on the future, with Chinn also entering a contract year.
But that future could become an uncomfortable present for Pola-Mao as the summer goes on.
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