Nov 29, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach John Gruden reacts with cornerback Damon Arnette (20) before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Things have changed very quickly in the last couple of months for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Of course, the biggest change was the resignation of head coach Jon Gruden in the wake of a racist, homophobic, and misogynistic email scandal. The franchise still appears to be considering some kind of next steps with the NFL over how that all played out.

The team appeared to be moving forward positively on the field but some terrible news on Tuesday changed things once more. Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III killed a woman in a drunk driving accident and was charged with two felonies. The Raiders released Ruggs shortly thereafter.

Over the weekend, a video emerged of Raiders cornerback Damon Arnette making death threats against someone while carrying a gun. The video may have been related to a pair of lawsuits that Arnette is currently involved with, including an incident in which he allegedly spat on someone. It also appeared that trouble seemed to follow Arnette for a while now since joining the franchise.

Arnette, who had been on injured reserve for a month, was released by the Raiders on Monday.

With that move, the Raiders have now released both of their first-round NFL Draft picks from 2020 in the span of a week. While it’s hard to argue with their recent decisions, it doesn’t help their longstanding reputation for not always putting the best work into their player drafting.

Perhaps things will calm down for the Raiders as they attempt to try to compete for the AFC West crown and a playoff spot. But it’s certainly been a traumatic ride for the franchise so far this season.

[PFT]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.