Just a year ago, the Raiders made one of the most surprising (and confusing) picks in the first round, selecting cornerback Damon Arnette. In the eyes of most draftniks, Arnette should have been selected in the second or third round due to a lack of speed and length on top of a few maturity concerns.
Arnette did not have a strong rookie season, starting only seven games after dealing with multiple different injuries. When he played, he allowed a passer rating of 107 and did not record a single interception.
Entering the second year of his career, there are some concerns that he might not even make the roster this season. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, Arnette is almost an “after-thought” at the cornerback position so far during minicamp:
“Well, after watching minicamp practices Tuesday and Wednesday and talking to people in the building, Arnette has become almost an after-thought. The Raiders signed veteran Casey Hayward in May and all but handed him Arnette’s starting job opposite Trayvon Mullen. There was some speculation that one might move to slot corner but neither has practiced there yet.”
Considering all of the players that the Raiders brought in this offseason at cornerback, it wouldn’t be a shock if the team did move on from Arnette before the season begins. He will certainly get a chance to prove himself during camp, but he is going to need a strong preseason to make the roster, let alone compete for a starting job.
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