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Damon Arnette’s time with the Las Vegas Raiders was short-lived but memorable. Unfortunately, it wasn’t memorable for good reasons. His first year with the team was marred with injuries and poor play. The 2020 first-round pick did put in a lot of work in the offseason but it didn’t translate to improved performance on the field. He lost a starting job to Trayvon Mullen and Casey Hayward. He may have even gotten buried further on the depth chart had he not got put on Injured Reserve after Week 4.
The Raiders were willing to be patient considering the high draft pick they used on him. However, as off-the-field issues became more apparent, the team couldn’t continue forward with him after a video leaked online of Arnette threatening to kill somebody while brandishing multiple firearms sent through his Instagram direct messages. Las Vegas decided the best option was to cut him outright.
A big reason the Raiders may have been so quick to cut him was the fact that this was not the first incident involving the cornerback. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Arnette crashed four rental cars in roughly a month.
Arnette is also getting sued for a car crash in October of 2020, according to TMZ Sports. The Raiders were able to cover up a lot of issues but couldn’t contain him at a certain point.
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Is Arnette Done in the NFL?
GettyMike Mayock & Damon Arnette of the Las Vegas Raiders.
When the Raiders drafted Arnette, it was widely considered a significant reach. Most mock drafts had him going in the second or third round. His play on the field just made the pick look even worse in hindsight. Couple that with his off-the-field issues and Arnette could be done playing football.
That said, general manager Mike Mayock still believes he has a future playing football.
“I’ve talked to Damon, his dad, a couple others in his life,” Mayock told reporters on November 8, “From my perspective, he’s a very talented young man with a good heart. If he cleans up his life, I know he can make a living in the NFL.
“But not now with the Raiders.”
Time will tell if Arnette can be an effective NFL cornerback. The early signs haven’t been good and he has a lot to clean up off the field before a team takes a chance on him.
Raiders CB Situation Looking Good This Season
Though the Arnette draft pick looks like a colossal failure in hindsight, the Raiders have made up for it with a couple of other decisions at cornerback. 2019 second-round pick Trayvon Mullen has developed into a solid player and should be a starter for years to come. The team also signed Casey Hayward and he’s possibly been the Raiders’ best cornerback since they had Nnamdi Asomugha. He has yet to allow a touchdown in coverage yet this season.
Those two are playing great but a rookie may just be the player the Raiders are most excited about. Nate Hobbs was drafted in the fifth round of this year’s draft and quickly made an impression. He won the starting slot cornerback spot with his impressive play and hasn’t disappointed. He has also not allowed a touchdown in coverage this season. Arnette being a bust certainly hurts the team but the future is still bright in the secondary.
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