Cornerback Terrion Arnold, who faces eight felony charges related to robbery and kidnapping, is signing with the Seattle Seahawks, multiple reports said Thursday.
Arnold was arrested on June 24 and the Detroit Lions released him five days later following an incident last February near Tampa, Fla.
Per ESPN, now that Arnold has a new team, the NFL could decide to place Arnold on the commissioner’s exempt list in connection with his legal trouble.
That didn’t stop teams from pursuing the former first-round draft pick. Arnold visited not only the Seahawks but also the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans before choosing Seattle.
Contract terms were not yet known.
Arnold is accused of being the ringleader of an alleged plot to avenge a theft in February by detaining and pistol-whipping the men he believed were responsible. But authorities said none of the victims Arnold and his co-conspirators allegedly kidnapped and attacked were involved with stealing items from Arnold.
The 23-year-old was the primary conspirator, according to prosecutors. All three victims are in their teens, according to court documents.
Arnold reported the theft of more than $250,000 in property from an Airbnb in Largo, Fla., three days before the alleged kidnapping and assault occurred.
He was released from jail in Hillsborough County (Fla.) on a $1 million bond and subjected to home confinement with the exception of work and legal appointments. Arnold nearly had to wear a GPS tracker as a condition of his release before a judge ruled against it.
Selected in the first round (24th overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft, Arnold has recorded 91 tackles, 18 passes defensed and one interception across 24 games (22 starts) in his two seasons with the Lions.