The Houston Texans are beefing up their secondary ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. And one cornerback name that they are elevating from the practice squad will be familiar, especially to Las Vegas Raiders fans.
“The Texans elevated CB Damon Arnette and S Jalen Mills from the practice squad for Sunday's game vs. Baltimore,” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday. “It'll be the first regular-season NFL action since Oct. 4, 2021 — four years ago today — for Arnette, the onetime Raiders first-round pick.”
This is quite a redemption story for Arnette, who was the No. 19 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. The cornerback played 13 games in two seasons for the Raiders before erratic behavior and legal issues led to the team cutting him just about two months into his second season.
The Raiders parted ways with Arnette after a video emerged of him brandishing a firearm and making death threats.
Since leaving the Raiders in November 2021, Arnette has faced a string of arrests for weapons, drugs, and traffic-related incidents. He got second and third chances with the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs, but his issues continued until his last arrest in January 2024.
Ahead of the 2025 season, the Houston Texans signed Arnette. He was disappointed at the end of training camp, but re-signed to the practice squad. Now, he will be on the sideline and probably on the field for the Texans when they take on the Ravens in Week 5.
This is a crucial game for the Texans, who finally got their first win of the season in Week 4 against the lowly Tennessee Titans. If Houston can take down the Ravens—even without superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson— it will be another step back to relevance and possibly their third straight playoff appearance. If the team can't beat a Jackson-less Ravens, though, it is going to be a long season down in Texas.
