Some are surprised that cornerback Terrion Arnold, who was cut by the Lions after being charged with eight felonies in Florida, found a landing spot in Seattle. Lions coach Dan Campbell is not.
“No, I’m not surprised,” Campbell told reporters on Sunday. “You know, every team’s gonna — they’re gonna do their due diligence. Just like we would if we were in their seat, like Seattle or New York or whoever, we would have done the same thing, man. Let’s see if we can find out whatever we can. We know that, him coming out, we know he’s a good kid, he’s got ability, he’s got all these — we’ve seen him on tape. So, no, I’m not surprised by that, you know?
“And, look, I have no ill will whatsoever towards Terrion. I wish him the best, man. And I wish everything and everyone the best in that whole situation, man. I, you know, that’s — it’s the best way to put it.”
Campbell also vouched for his former first-rounder.
“Terrion’s a good dude, man,” Campbell said. “He’s a good dude, and it’s just — it’s an unfortunate — the whole thing’s unfortunate. It really is, but it is what it is. There’s no way around it.”
It begs the question as to why the Lions cut the “good dude,” especially since another team is giving him a shot. The Lions owe the remaining compensation through 2027 under his 2024 rookie deal, unless they have attempted to void the guarantees. (It’s possible that they have.)
Something made the Lions decide not to stick with Arnold during this “unfortunate situation.” It’s possible that the Lions believed he’d be placed on paid leave until the case is resolved. It’s also possible that the Lions decided Arnold wasn’t entirely truthful when he was “grilled” about the situation, after it first emerged. (Whoever did the grilling may end up getting a subpoena to testify at trial, since anything Arnold said out of court can be used against him.)
Regardless, Campbell’s praise of Arnold doesn’t mesh with the team’s decision to give him a pink slip. And the choice of the team that knows him best to move on, despite the lingering financial guarantees, makes it surprising that another team is rolling the dice.
Then again, the dice haven’t officially been rolled. On Friday, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said the “timetable” for Arnold’s arrival is still being resolved. At one point in his Friday press conference, Macdonald used the phrase “if and when he gets here.”
Which implies Arnold ultimately may not get there.
