The Houston Texans are now in the market for more cornerback help after veteran defender Ronald Darby unexpectedly retired from the NFL last week.
The Texans signed Darby to a one-year contract earlier this offseason in hopes that he’d give them depth at the CB3 spot on the outside behind Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. Now, Houston needs to pivot and find a veteran who could compete with Tremon Smith and rookie Jaylin Smith.
Luckily for the Texans, several veteran free-agent cornerbacks are still on the open market. But Houston is exploring another option before bringing in a vet who might have just played in the NFL last season.
Texans Bring In Former First-Round Pick Damon Arnette Jr. for a Workout
According to Aaron Wilson of KRPC-2, the Texans worked out former NFL first-round pick Damon Arnette Jr. on Monday. Arnette just recently wrapped up his first year in the UFL with the Houston Roughnecks.
Sources: #Texans worked out @XFLRoughnecks cornerback Damon Arnette Jr., a former #Raiders first-round draft pick, today @KPRC2 https://t.co/Jq312FJtNR
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) June 9, 2025
The 28-year-old Arnette was one of the better cornerbacks in the UFL this season, as he had 19 total tackles and an interception. One of Arnette’s signature plays this season was a 50-yard pick-six last month against the Birmingham Stallions.
50-YARD PICK-SIX ‼️😤@XFLRoughnecks CAME TO PLAY TODAY 👏
— United Football League (@TheUFL) May 11, 2025
📺: ABC | @Verizon pic.twitter.com/tnegURXCiu
The UFL was the perfect opportunity for the former NFL cornerback to get back on track after he had a ton of off-the-field troubles in the NFL. Arnette, who was taken with the 19th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, was seen brandishing firearms and making death threats on video, leading to his release on November 8, 2021.
At that point, Arnette had played 13 games with the Raiders, but wasn’t a starter in his second year with the club. After his release, he was signed to the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad, but they did not re-sign him to a futures deal at the end of the 2021 season.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on the former Raiders defender, signing him to a futures deal on Jan. 22, 2022. The Chiefs cut bait on Arnette nine days later as he was arrested in Las Vegas on multiple charges.
The former Raiders defensive back also got into some trouble in January 2024, but has stayed out of the spotlight since. Despite things not working out in the NFL during his first stint, Arnette has done the work in the UFL to show that he’s ready to make that jump.
Last month, Wilson reported that several NFL teams reached out to the Roughnecks to inquire about Arnette. One wonders if the Texans were part of that group. Regardless, it's good to see Arnette bouncing back on the gridiron and Houston giving him a chance.
We’ll see if the Texans ultimately sign the former first-round pick or decide to go elsewhere as they try to find an adequate replacement for Ronald Darby.