Las Vegas Raiders rookie cornerback Damon Arnette had already entered the 2020 NFL season having to play with a soft cast while recovering from a broken thumb he suffered in practice.
Unfortunately, Arnette seemingly re-aggravated the injury after he was forced to leave the field before halftime of their 36-20 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 3. It appears the recent turn of events could now require him to miss some serious time.
Although the Raiders may be preparing to host the undefeated Buffalo Bills, Arnette reportedly visited with a thumb specialist to determine a course of action. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Las Vegas could opt to place him on injured reserve for more than a month:
Bad news for the #Raiders defense: 1st-round CB Damon Arnette is visiting a thumb specialist today after falling awkwardly on it Sunday, sources say. The thumb re-injury could sideline him for a month & a half & put him on Injured Reserve. He’ll find out soon if it’s worst-case.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 29, 2020
The prospect of losing Arnette for a solid chunk of the season undoubtedly deals a major blow to the Raiders’ secondary. This year’s first-round pick has etched out an integral role for himself in this defense and there will be a notable void to fill opposite of cornerback Trayvon Mullen.
If Arnette is sidelined, the onus would fall on cornerbacks Nevin Lawson and Isaiah Johnson to take on an increased workload in his absence. Unfortunately, the timing is hardly ideal with Las Vegas set to host the red-hot Buffalo offense led by quarterback Josh Allen.
Meanwhile, head coach Jon Gruden acknowledged his concern with the status of wide receiver Henry Ruggs III after he was sidelined in Week 3 with a hamstring injury. His comments indicate that the team may opt to take a cautious approach with the recovery of both rookies.
Fortunately, the Raiders have much more depth in their receiving corps than they do in the secondary with Hunter Renfrow, Nelson Agholor and even former Bills wide receiver Zay Jones. Renfrow was one of the few bright spots during the loss to the Patriots after hauling in six receptions on nine targets for a game-high 84 yards and a touchdown.
