Matt Johnson
The Detroit Lions released former first-round pick Terrion Arnold just hours after he was released from jail and posted a $1 million bond. As the young cornerback now faces uncertainty in the courtroom, it seems NFL teams are still taking an interest in him.
Speaking to reporters this week, Arnold’s attorney Harvey Steinberg said that he’s been in contact with three NFL teams expressing interest, and the expectation is Arnold will be on a roster by the end of the month.
“He is confined to his home by both court conditions and media scrutiny and anticipates that he will have employment with another NFL team within 30 days.”
Terrion Arnold’s attorney Harvey Steinberg (via AL.com)
It’s worth noting here that this is Arnold’s attorney and not his NFLPA-approved agent stating that teams have contacted him with interest. Obviously, he didn’t give any indication of which teams reached out, nor has there been any reporting in recent days that pinpoints which clubs could’ve reached out.
When Chief Judge Christopher C. Sabella ruled in Arnold’s favor in court, granting him bail, he also made the decision not to require the 23-year-old to wear a GPS ankle monitor. Instead, Arnold is permitted to be at his residence or at the facilities of the NFL team he plays for.
Under that ruling, any team that Arnold signs with could immediately have him report to training camp. However, given that the cornerback is facing eight felony charges, including armed robbery and kidnapping, the NFL could put him on the Commissioner’s Exempt List to keep him away from the team until the legal process plays out.
As noted by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, NFL teams have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Monday, July 6 to submit a claim on Arnold. If their claim is awarded, they are responsible for the remainder of his rookie-scale contract.
It seems highly unlikely that Arnold will be claimed, as that would put any NFL team on the hook financially for the remainder of his contract and they would likely be unable to get out from the guarantees because he would’ve been claimed after the arrest and charges.
Arnold will be back in court on Monday, which could provide some clarity on the situation, as the prosecutor is asking the judge to require the former first-round pick to wear an ankle monitor now that he’s no longer employed in the NFL.
For now, the safe assumption is that Arnold goes unclaimed on waivers and immediately hits NFL free agency. Teams can then monitor his situation throughout the summer before deciding if they want to offer him a contract on their terms.
