Green Bay, along with San Francisco, has been linked to the newest Houston Texans cornerback, Damon Arnette Jr.
According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers were interested in signing former first-round pick and UFL cornerback Damon Arnette Jr., who wound up inking a deal with the Houston Texans. At the moment, the Packers still have an open roster spot available on their summer roster. Arnette is the first UFL player who has been linked to Green Bay since the spring league’s 2025 season has concluded.
If the name Arnette rings a bell, it’s because Arnette had an infamous run in the NFL in his first stint in the league. After being a surprise early selection with the 19th overall pick in the 2020 draft (he was ranked 60th on the consensus draft board) under then Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock, Arnette only ever started seven games for the Raiders (all as a rookie) and only suited up for a total of 13 NFL games.
The 2019 second-team All-Big Ten cornerback dealt with two runs on the injured reserve in 2020 and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list that year. In his second year in the NFL, he ended up backing up another rookie contract player, Tayvon Mullen, and former Packers cornerback Casey Hayward. His time with the Raiders overlapped with Green Bay special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Rich Bisaccia’s time with Las Vegas.
Later on in 2021, Arnette’s legal troubles began, which ultimately led to his release from Vegas.
In early November of that year, it was revealed that Arnette was involved in a car crash that left a woman injured while he left the scene. Three days after that news broke, a video surfaced of Arnette making death threats while pointing guns at a camera. At this point, the Raiders moved on and waived the cornerback.
Dawg wtf is going on in Las Vegas? Look at Raiders CB Damon Arnette flexing a gun saying he gon kill somebody smh pic.twitter.com/PiJKT5Cyq7
— Robert (@RobertRaymond46) November 6, 2021
To take you back to that place and time, Henry Ruggs, a fellow 2020 Raiders first-round pick, killed a woman in a fatal collision on November 2nd, 2021.
Toward the end of the 2021 season, the South Florida native signed with the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad. When his practice squad contract expired, Arnette joined the Kansas City Chiefs on a reserve/futures deal, which lasted less than two weeks before he was arrested in Vegas and charged with assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a weapon without a permit and two counts of possession of controlled substances. Eventually, he agreed to a plea deal that forced him to pay a $2,000 fine and serve 50 hours of community service, on top of surrendering his gun.
In July of that year, he was pulled over twice in the same vehicle. The first time he was pulled over, it was discovered that he was driving on a suspended license. The second time, he was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and a suspended license.
His legal issues didn’t stop there, though, as he was arrested at 3:30 am on January 6th, 2024 and charged with possession of methamphetamine and unlawful carrying of a firearm in north Texas.
Former Dallas Cowboys player and FOX NFL color commentator Daryl “Moose” Johnston, who is the executive vice president of football operations of the United Football League, has been a vocal advocate of Arnette, claiming that the player has matured since his stretch of legal issues. UFL teammates and his former head coach, Jon Gruden, have also come to his support in recent weeks.
The 28-year-old, soon to be 29, will now have his chance to redeem himself in the NFL with the Texans, four years after the last time he played his last game in the league.