When the Raiders selected Damon Arnette 19th overall last year, it marked the second straight year the Jon Gruden–Mike Mayock regime stunned draft viewers in Round 1. Despite multiple thumb issues and a placement on the Raiders’ reserve/COVID-19 list, Arnette started seven games as a rookie. Pro Football Focus graded Arnette as a bottom-10 cornerback, however, and the Raiders may not have the Ohio State product in their lineup plans this year. Arnette has nearly drifted off the Raiders’ radar, Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes, adding that Casey Hayward is expected to line up as Las Vegas’ outside corner starter opposite Trayvon Mullen (subscription required). While a few lower-profile corners’ names surfaced during Raiders minicamp this week, Arnette’s was conspicuously absent, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal adds. Talk surfaced last month of Arnette moving into the slot, but Tafur adds that job looks like Nevin Lawson‘s to lose. Arnette did not practice in the slot during minicamp.
Here is the latest from the AFC West:
- Yannick Ngakoue is in search of a new agent. The recently signed Raiders defensive end left the Wasserman agency this week, according to the Sports Business Journal’s Liz Mullen (on Twitter). This is not a first for the former Jaguars, Vikings and Ravens pass rusher. He left his first NFL agent in May 2018 and made another change last August. Ngakoue’s next agent will be his fourth as a pro. Ngakoue signed a two-year, $26MM deal with the Raiders in March; that pact featured $21MM fully guaranteed.
- Numerous key players missed extensive time for the Broncos last season, but the team received good news as it prepares for its next training camp. One of the biggest names to miss Denver’s 5-11 2020 slate, Courtland Sutton is not expected to start camp on the team’s active/PUP list, Vic Fangio said this week. The Pro Bowl wide receiver suffered an ACL tear in Week 2 of last season. Neither Sutton nor Bradley Chubb, who is rehabbing offseason ankle surgery, are likely to miss camp time, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. Chubb needed bone spurs removed from his ankle.
- Bashaud Breeland moved on from the Chiefs after two seasons, signing with the Vikings. But the veteran cornerback initially wanted to re-sign with the Chiefs.
Mayock/Gruden reached for the terrible Damon Arnette and passed on Kenneth Murray among others. How many more screwed up drafts is Mark Davis going to let Mayock/Gruden run before he decides to hire a real GM?
Ferrell at 4 overall. Arnette at 19. Then Leatherwood in the top 20. It’s Gruden who sucks st drafting. He trumps the GM and always makes the final calls. He did it in TB too. Dude can coach but sucks with player personnel.
He’s a mixed bag. I agree that, despite common inclinations, Gruden actually does bring value in terms of building a team identity and does overall improve an offense. That said, your point about his personnel decisions and determining who he wants to play are frequently headscratchers. I do understand that he wants a certain mentality and that he wants his players to match that, and that he respects hard workers, but there is something to be said for athletic talent. Players drafted in the first need to match that billing. Players who start or get quality time should be your most talented at those positions. Mentality is important, but it shouldn’t trump skill.