The Houston Texans are giving a recent NFL Draft bust another opportunity to prove himself.
The Texans announced on Friday that they have signed cornerback Damon Arnette, who just finished a season with the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks.
Arnette was drafted in the first round (19th overall) by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. He was a star at Ohio State and expected to be a starter in the NFL, but he dealt with injuries early on and then off-field issues.
Arnette was sued over an alleged hit-and-run that left a woman injured in 2020. He was then cut by the Raiders midway through the 2021 season over a social media video that appeared to show him brandishing firearms and threatening someone.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Arnette in January 2022 but released him just days later after he was arrested on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, carrying or concealing a gun without a permit and possession of controlled substances. Authorities initially announced that no criminal charges would be filed, but Arnette was indicted by a grand jury more than a year later and reached a plea agreement.
That was not the end of the legal trouble for Arnette. He also had multiple drug-related arrests, the most recent of which was last year.
Despite the lengthy rap sheet, the Texans have decided to give Arnette another chance to make an NFL roster. The 28-year-old has appeared in 13 games in his NFL career and has 23 total tackles.
