The Seattle Seahawks and Terrion Arnold made it official on Thursday as the cornerback signed a one-year deal with the team in the Pacific Northwest. One year doesn't seem like a long time, but the contract length makes sense for all parties.
The immediate question, though, is whether Arnold will have a chance to address Seattle's most glaring issue on defense (the cornerback group), and who might need to be sent away in his absence?
The answer about Arnold being able to play is unclear, but it will probably be by the start of the regular season. The cornerback is facing eight felony charges (four for kidnapping and four for armed robbery), and his next court date is October 5, a day after Seattle plays the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. No date is set for his trial yet.
Seattle Seahawks might get a massive upgrade at cornerback with Terrion Arnold
The possibly icky part for Seahawks fans is that Arnold could play for the team throughout the season, only to have a court date afterward, at which he might be sent to prison. That would potentially mean that 12s are cheering for a person who could be found guilty of some heinous crimes.
One can be sure that general manager John Schneider has done his due diligence in finding out what kind of person Arnold is. Maybe he won't be found guilty, and the whole situation is not as it currently looks.
The NFL could also suspend the cornerback for multiple games due to the charges he faces. That would make Seattle's gamble less effective, especially if the suspension is eight games or so.
On the field, Arnold should be a much better fit with the Seattle Seahawks than he was with the Detroit Lions, the team that released him when his charges were announced. The defensive schemes are different, and head coach Mike Macdonald would understand how best to use Arnold. What is clear is that Seattle uses less press man coverage than Detroit, but Arnold is an outside corner.
He would ultimately be taking the place of Riq Woolen, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. Terrion Arnold would line up opposite Josh Jobe, allowing Devon Witherspoon to be the same kind of disruptor he has been the last three seasons from the slot, or wherever else Macdonald aligns him from play to play.
Arnold does need to cut down on his penalties, but Macdonald and defensive backs coach Karl Scott, who recruited Arnold to the University of Alabama but never coached him there, can likely address any technique issues the cornerback is having with technique.
The biggest loser in Arnold signing with the Seahawks? That is probably one or two rookies, or both. Andre Fuller and Michael Dansby were seventh-round choices. The team might hope they land back on the practice squad, but Arnold should improve the cornerback group on the field, while still being a question mark off of it.
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