NFL Rumors: 3 Cornerbacks the Raiders should sign to replace Damon Arnette
The Las Vegas Raiders still have one of the best starting cornerback duos in the NFL despite the release of Damon Arnette. Arnette was the Raiders' other first-round pick in the 2020 draft. He was released after he posted a video holding a gun threatening to kill someone.
The Raiders still have Nate Hobbs and Casey Hayward Jr. playing at incredibly high levels. Behind that, they could use a bit more depth with Arnette out of the fold. The free-agent market isn't seeping with talent, but some players could succeed in a role-player-type role for the Raiders.
The good news? We don’t need Arnette. Remember, the top two CBs in PFF's coverage grade across the entire NFL:
1. Casey Hayward Jr. (LV): 83.3
2. Nate Hobbs (LV): 81.8
3 Cornerbacks the Raiders should sign to replace Damon Arnette
# 1 - Brian Poole
Brian Poole was on the New England Patriots' practice squad as recently as Tuesday but was released. He is only 29 years old and doesn't have a lot of wear and tear on his body. Poole is a solid but unspectacular man-to-man cornerback who could rotate snaps in the slot.
Poole is a slot specialist who would keep Hobbs and Hayward on the outside, which is their strength. Desmond Trufant doesn't fit in the slot and plays a step slower now that he's on the wrong side of 30.
In 2020 with the New York Jets, Poole was graded a 79.5 in coverage. He still has a lot left to offer and is the Raiders' best option on the open market.
# 2 - D.J. Hayden
Raiders fans may not like the idea of bringing back their former first-round pick, who turned out to be a bust in his own right. Since the Raiders worked out D.J. Hayden last month, they've shown some interest on that front.
Hayden is a good tackler after he gets his hands on a receiver. He has had problems throughout his career getting lost in coverage. With the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, he showed some flashes of good play, particularly in the slot.
Hayden is 31, which is the same age as Trufant, but his weaknesses can be masked by playing alongside two of the NFL's best in Hayward and Hobbs.
# 3 - Prince Amukamara
The Raiders are no stranger to Prince Amukamara, as he was on their roster ahead of this season. The biggest reason they cut him was that Arnette played so well in training camp.
The #Raiders have released CB Prince Amukamara, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
Amukamara didn't play in 2020 but did in 2018 and 2019 with the Chicago Bears. In 2019, he was just average, but in 2018 he was a stud cornerback, especially in run defense.
He's the oldest player on the list at 32, but since the Raiders are familiar with him, he's an option they should strongly consider.