Damon

Arnette

The former first-round pick flamed out quickly in Las Vegas before bouncing around the league with brief stints in Miami and Kansas City. The Chiefs released him after he was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, and two counts of possession of controlled substances. Arnette eventually found his way to the UFL where he totaled five pass breakups and a pick-six for the Roughnecks. He will look to earn a depth role on the Texans over the summer.

Arnette is a former first-round pick of the Raiders, drafted in 2020, and has struggled to stay in the league due to poor play and legal issues. His last NFL stint was in 2022 with the Chiefs, but he was released after being arrested for assault, gun, and drug charges. Now with the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks, Arnette, 28, has totaled one interception and 18 tackles in six games, and could draw some NFL interest after he “significantly reordered his life and has matured,” per Wilson. Whether it’s with the Texans or another team, Arnette would likely have to battle for a spot on a 53-man roster in camp.

The release comes after Arnette was arrested for assault, gun, and drugs charges at Park MGM in Las Vegas this weekend. Arnette, who signed a reserve/future deal earlier this month, has a long history of off-field issues. The 2020 first-rounder is unlikely to resurface again this offseason.

The 2020 mega-bust failed to land a futures deal with the Dolphins after joining the practice squad in December, but one of his former division rivals is giving him a second chance after the Raiders cut him in November. Arnette was waived for posting a disturbing video on social media, but his awful play on the field was why the Raiders were willing to cut ties instead of giving Arnette the second and third chances former first-rounders typically get. Slow (4.56) and extremely old (24) for a first-round corner at the time of his drafting, Arnette’s selection was widely first guessed. It is difficult to see him cracking the Chiefs’ 53-man roster this summer.

Arnette was the 19th overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Raiders but appeared in just 13 games with the team before getting cut last month. He had multiple off-field incidents and was axed after flashing guns on social media and threatening someone. On the field, Arnette was slow and stiff. It’s a no-risk move by the Dolphins.

A video of Arnette flashing multiple firearms and verbally threatening someone surfaced last week, spurring the former No. 19 overall pick’s release. Arnette also reportedly crashed four rental cars within roughly a month, at which point we can assume he was banned from renting cars in the state of Nevada. With Henry Ruggs’s recent release, the Raiders are now without both of the first-round picks they made in 2020. Arnette failed to make much of an impact in a season and a half. He appeared in four games this year before suffering a groin injury that sent him to injured reserve. Arnette broke up one pass and logged four combined tackles in those four non-starts.

The Raiders also placed cornerback Trayvon Mullen on injured reserve. They’ll be without two corners for the next three weeks at least. Las Vegas faces the Bears this week. Justin Fields has had an up-and-down start to his career but he should have no problem putting together a solid outing against the Raiders’ second-string corners. He’s a fringe-QB1 in the easy matchup.

Arnette has missed time with a hand injury and will be held out again with a concussion that he suffered on the second play of Week 13. The Raiders could get S Johnathan Abram back, but this is not a defense to fear in any capacity.

On his first carry, Gore had a tough run off the tackle and was met by Raiders CB Damon Arnette. There was a head to head concussion that left both Gore and Arnette on the ground momentarily. Arnette looked like he took the worse of the beating -- he had a concussion in November -- but Gore went to the medical tent as well. Ty Johnson has stepped in for Gore with La’Mical Perine on injured reserve.

The Raiders also activated OT Trent Brown. Arnette is four weeks into a 6-8 week timetable from late September thumb surgery. Nevin Lawson has played at least 90 percent of snaps the last three games with Arnette out.