Terrion Arnold walked out of jail Tuesday, and his phone might not stop ringing for the next month. The former Detroit Lions cornerback was released on bail after being arrested on felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. And according to his lawyer, several NFL teams are already circling.
Attorney Harvey Steinberg filed an objection that included a pretty notable detail. He wrote that three NFL clubs have already reached out to Arnold’s representatives about signing him. Steinberg expects his client to land with a franchise within the next 30 days.
Legal cloud hasn’t scared everyone off
Look, the charges are serious. We’re not talking about a traffic violation or a bar fight. Armed robbery and kidnapping are felony-level allegations that could derail any career. But Steinberg made it clear in his filing that the interest from teams is real and immediate, even with Arnold’s legal future unresolved.
“Although Mr. Arnold has been released by the Detroit Lions organization, he already has been contacted by three other NFL clubs regarding his services,” Steinberg wrote.
Detroit cut ties after the arrest, which makes sense. Teams don’t usually stick around when a player is facing this kind of legal trouble. But the fact that other franchises are already making calls suggests some believe Arnold’s side of the story might hold up, or at least that the risk is worth taking for a cornerback with starting experience.
What Arnold brings to the table
On the field, the tape isn’t bad. Over two seasons with the Lions, Arnold racked up 91 tackles, 18 passes defended and one interception. That’s 24 games played, 22 of them starts. He’s young, he’s experienced, and he’s played at a level that keeps you on the field. Teams looking for secondary depth don’t usually find guys with that many starts just sitting around in late August.
The catch is obvious. No team is going to hand out a guaranteed contract until they know when Arnold’s trial starts and what the potential penalty looks like. But a flier with some protections? That’s a different story. And Steinberg seems confident something will happen soon.
Until the court date gets set, everything is speculation. But the fact that three teams wanted to make contact while Arnold was still in jail says a lot about how the league views his talent versus his risk. Sometimes that math works out for a player. Sometimes it doesn’t. For now, Arnold is out on bail and waiting for his next call.
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