A former first-round pick is getting a second chance with the Houston Texans.
According to KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, the Texans have agreed to terms with Houston Roughnecks cornerback and former Las Vegas Raiders first-round draft pick Damon Arnette Jr. on Wednesday morning. Arnette will continue to make a comeback after a short-lived career in the NFL beginning in 2020.
Cornerback depth has become a need for Houston behind All-Pro Derek Stingley Jr. and breakout rookie Kamari Lassiter. Veteran cornerback Ronald Darby retired earlier this month, leaving the No. 3 role occupied by Jeff Okudah last season open.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said they’d look at multiple options and apparently, Arnette is one of them. Last season, while playing for the Roughnecks in the United Football League, Arnette racked up 18 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.
Selected 19th overall by Las Vegas in 2020 out of Ohio State, Arnette, 28, was released by the Raiders less than two years later after a video surfaced of the former Buckeyes standout brandishing firearms and making death threats. Although Arnette had a brief stint with the Miami Dolphins on a practice squad that year, he never returned to an active roster on Sunday.
In 13 games, Arnette recorded 29 tackles, one tackle for loss and three pass deflections. He signed with the Chiefs in 2022 but was cut nine days later after he was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and other gun charges.
Arnette later agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced to 50 hours of community service, ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, and surrender the gun he had when he was arrested.
Last year, Arnette was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm. According to Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander, the legal counsel said Arnette had “lawful medicine,” and wouldn’t have been arrested had he been able to prove it.
Last month, Arnette told Wilson in a one-on-one interview he’s spent the last three reflecting and significantly reordered his life with different priorities.
“I’m a dawg on the field. I’m more of a professional now than I ever was before,” Arnette told Wilson. “I wasn’t a professional before. I was just a dawg. I found professionalism and a calm state of mind. I feel like I’m the best version of myself that I’ve ever been.”
The Texans open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 7 at SoFi Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans sign former first-round CB Damon Arnette
Reporting by Cole Thompson, Texans Wire / Texans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
