The Las Vegas Raiders have been linked to Terrion Arnold, but a closer look at John Spytek’s roster-building philosophy suggests a signing is far from likely.
Here we go again. The Arnold saga has taken another strange turn, and the Raiders’ name is attached to it once more.
Two years ago, Arnold claimed the Raiders flipped a coin. The choice: draft him or tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th pick in the 2024 draft. Former head coach Antonio Pierce denied that story ever happened. Now Arnold faces eight felony charges. The Lions cut him loose on June 29. The rumor mill is spinning all over again.
Los Angeles radio host Ben Maller says three unnamed teams reached out to Arnold’s agent. That happened shortly after Detroit waived him. The information reportedly came from Arnold’s attorney. The teams Maller named: the Raiders, Browns and Chiefs.
Are the Raiders actually interested in Terrion Arnold?
“We think we know the teams,” Maller said on FOX Sports Radio’s “The Ben Maller Show.” “The teams include the Raiders, the Browns … and Kansas City.”
Before anyone gets too worked up over this, a little skepticism seems warranted. NBC Sports’ Mike Florio pushed back on the report Tuesday on “PFT Live,” pointing out that “interested teams” reports like this one usually trace back to agents shopping a name to reporters rather than anything the teams themselves confirmed. Florio also raised a wrinkle worth remembering: even if a team does sign Arnold, the NFL could still place him on paid leave under the Commissioner’s Exempt list while his case works through the courts.
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Then there’s the roster reality. Cornerback just isn’t a pressing need for Las Vegas right now. The Raiders brought back Eric Stokes on a three-year deal in March and used two draft picks on corners who’ve gotten plenty of praise this offseason. Throw in 2025 third-rounder Darien Porter, who some inside the building think has the inside track on a starting job, plus Jermod McCoy and Hezekiah Masses, and the depth chart is already crowded with promising young talent.
Given all that, the Raiders’ “interest” in Arnold may end up being nothing more than noise generated by an agent trying to create leverage, not unlike the Christian Wilkins rumors that made headlines a few months back and then went nowhere.
Until something more concrete surfaces, it’s probably best to file this one under rumor, not reality.
*Top Photo: Tampa Bay Times