49ers Had Interest in Former 1st-Round CB Before He Signed With Texans

Damon Arnette Jr. is back in the NFL after not playing in the league since 2022.

The 28-year-old cornerback is fresh from signing a new deal with the Houston Texans after a successful stint with the Houston Roughnecks of the UFL, and according to insider Aaron Wilson of Click 2 Houston, there was another team who showed interest in the former first-round pick: the San Francisco 49ers.

“It was a couple of teams that were reaching out on him,” Darryl ‘Moose’ Johnston, Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the UFL, said about Arnette, per Wilson.

“So, it was great to see the Houston Texans call, DeMeco Ryans, because John Lynch in San Francisco was another one that called about him. So you can see that he really fits that style of defense that DeMeco wants to install with the Texans coming from the San Francisco 49ers because those were probably the two busiest teams that were reaching out on Damon’s behalf.”

More on the San Francisco 49ers Interest in CB Damon Arnette Jr.

Getty|| The San Francisco 49ers showed interest in cornerback Damon Arnette before he signed with the Texans.

 

Heading into training camp this summer, the 49ers could use some depth at corner. Deommodore Lenoir is the team’s top CB, with Renardo Green and Tre Brown also in the mix. Upton Stout is an option at nickel. Other CBs on the roster include Ambry Thomas, Darrell Luter, Siran Neal and Tre Avery.

Adding another competitor to the mix certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Arnette headed to the UFL in December 2024. With the Roughnecks, he made a strong impression, finishing with 18 tackles, five passes defended, one interception returned for a touchdown and a sack in eight games.

After his impressive showing in the UFL, he landed a one-year deal with the Texans. At age 28, he’s set to compete for depth in a cornerback group led by Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter.

More on the Troubles Arnette Has Faced

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Arnette 19th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, expecting him to be a difference-maker. During his two seasons with the Raiders (2020–2021), he played in 13 games (seven starts), recording 29 total tackles, three pass deflections and no interceptions. He showed promise until injuries sidelined him; Arnette eventually lost his roster spot following being placed on injured reserve due to a thumb injury and groin issues.

In October of 2020, he was involved in a hit-and-run crash in which the collision was alleged to have caused head trauma and mental distress to another driver. In November 2021, the Raiders cut him after a viral video showed him menacingly handling firearms and making death threats.

Additionally, in January 2024, Arnette was arrested in Texas for meth possession and unlawful firearm carrying, though his legal team argued it involved prescribed medication.

“There was genuine remorse about what had happened and then you get with the appropriate people to get the facts of the matter and, then, you weigh all those different elements into it. When we got down to it, we really felt that Damon had earned the right to have a second opportunity to change his life around,” Johnston said.

“So, we’re very proud of what he’s done with this opportunity. He’s still got a long way to go. I talked to Damon the day he signed with the Texans and said, ‘Hey, congratulations, that’s great stuff. I know it’s been a long journey, but you are just at the beginning. You’ve got so much work to do.”

These incidents have cast a long shadow, over Arnette’s career. It’ll be up to him to write his own redemption story.