3 takeaways from Raiders' defensive assistants

Jun 03, 2026 at 01:45 PM

Digital Team Reporter

The Raiders' offensive and defensive coaching staff fielded questions from the local media Tuesday afternoon.

Here are three takeaways from the defensive coaching staff, with insight from pass game coordinator Joe Woods, safeties coach Matt Robinson, defensive line coach Travis Smith and linebackers coach Ronnell Williams.

1. The more you can do in the secondary

Versatility will be mandatory, not optional, in the Raiders secondary.

The team this offseason added three players who can play multiple roles: cornerback Taron Johnson and rookie safeties Treydan Stukes and Dalton Johnson.

"When you have guys who have versatility, it allows you to do so much more things defensively," said Joe Woods, pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach. "Different packages, how you can move guys around on the field, we're excited about it and we're kind of tinkering a few things here and there to just see where it goes."

The two Arizona Wildcats teammates, Stukes and Johnson, who were drafted together can also play multiple roles at deep safety, box safety and nickel back. Veteran Jeremy Chinn was used in the same capacity in his first season with the Raiders.

"As they continue to learn the defense and become more valuable to us in their different roles, I think the sky is really the limit for them," safeties coach Matt Robinson said of the two rookies. "I think their athleticism and their talent alone and their leadership qualities ... I think it will only get better for us."

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2. Building depth on defensive line is "necessary"

Travis Smith returns to the Raiders to coach the defensive line after serving in numerous roles on the team from 2012-2021.

While much has changed since his last stint here, the edge rushers remain the same in Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce. Smith was a defensive quality control in 2019 when Crosby was drafted and the assistant defensive line coach in 2021 when Koonce was selected.

"His work ethic is second to none," Smith said about Crosby. "His deposition, his mentality is second to none. That definitely was part of the reason of coming back here, and it's fortunate [I've] seen the growth that he's had but also seen the opportunity to keep growing."

While the pass rush seems solid coming off the edge, it will continue being a highly competitive offseason to determine the interior defensive line rotation. The unit has a multitude of players, such as Adam Butler, Thomas Booker IV, Jonah Laulu, Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues, who can earn prominent roles inside.

"It's a great problem to have," Smith said, "in the sense that if you look on the offensive side of the ball, there's five starters. And as long as they stay healthy, they play the whole game. In the D-line room it's different. If you have eight guys active, eight guys play. ... It's necessary, there's no way around it. We need that."

3. Multiplying the defense

The linebacking corps could arguably be the most improved position group on the team after signing Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean and Segun Olubi.

Walker and Dean were notably college teammates at Georgia en route to a national championship, with success transferring over early in their NFL careers. Olubi, a former special teams ace for the Indianapolis Colts, also received praise from linebackers coach Ronnell Williams for how he's looked in OTAs.

"When you have dominant linebackers, they multiply your defense," Williams said, "free up the DBs [defensive backs], takes the blocks off the D-line, and they make plays. That's when your defense is special."

Williams is not just optimistic of the group's new additions, but also two young linebackers in Cody Lindenberg and Tommy Eichenberg going into their second and third seasons, respectively. Both have primarily played on special teams since being drafted, but could carve roles for themselves on defense.

"Cody has been phenomenal this offseason through his development, building his confidence and flashing and making plays," Williams said. "You can see his belief in himself start to take off. And Tommy has a hunger about him. ... The intensity that he operates with on a day-to-day basis is kind of in the likes of Quay. ... Very intense, everything is intentional."

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Las Vegas Raiders kicker Matt Gay (14), tight end Patrick Gurd (45) and long snapper Tyler Duzansky (46) participate in a team bonding activity at the Las Vegas Ballpark.