Key Takeaways:

• Eric Stokes returns to Las Vegas on a 3-year, $30 million deal with $20 million guaranteed
• General manager John Spytek prioritized retaining the cornerback after his strong 2025 season
• Stokes started 16 games for the Raiders last season after joining on a one-year, $3.5M deal
• The signing pairs Stokes with newly acquired cornerback Taron Johnson

The Las Vegas Raiders opened the 2026 free agency period by retaining one of their own, signing cornerback Eric Stokes to a three-year, $30 million contract with $20 million guaranteed, sources confirmed.

General manager John Spytek had made keeping Stokes a top priority, stating at the NFL Combine that he wanted to bring back the former first-round pick.

We’ve had good dialogue with Eric about coming back and we’ll keep working it this week, Spytek said. I thought he played well this year. He was healthy and he had a good 16 games this year. Super happy with him. He competed and did what I knew he was capable of doing. I’d love to keep him around.

Stokes came to the Raiders last season on a modest one-year deal worth $3.5 million after four injury-plagued seasons with the Green Bay Packers, where he was selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The gamble paid off handsomely for Las Vegas. Stokes stayed healthy and proved to be one of the most consistent performers in the Raiders secondary, starting 16 games and showcasing the talent that made him a first-round pick.

The Raiders entered free agency with nearly $120 million in cap space, the most in the league. They’re using that financial flexibility to build a competitive roster under first-year head coach Klint Kubiak.

Stokes’ return pairs him with Taron Johnson, whom the Raiders acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills late Sunday night. Together, the two cornerbacks give the Raiders a formidable duo in the secondary as they look to rebuild around the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Walk the Plank

Bringing back Eric Stokes is exactly the kind of move that sets the tone for this new era of Raiders football. GM John Spytek said it was a priority, and he delivered. In a league where cornerbacks command premium contracts, retaining a proven performer like Stokes — who genuinely loves Raider Nation — is a home run. Pairing him with Taron Johnson gives the Raiders a secondary to build around. This is how you start a rebuild the right way.