Seahawks given clear reason to reconsider signing CB Terrion Arnold

While it was recently reported that the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks would be signing former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, the transaction had not been made official as of Tuesday. 

There's now more information about Arnold's uncertain future.

Terrion Arnold would be a Seahawks player in name only for some time

On Tuesday afternoon, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of ESPN/NFL Network reported that Arnold will be placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list if/when he signs with the Seahawks. Arnold would be eligible to attend meetings while on the list, but he won't be permitted to play or practice.

According to Rapoport and Garafolo, the Seahawks "are still planning to sign" Arnold. 

"It will take a while," the ESPN update added, "as [the Seahawks] are working through the timing." 

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Monday he had "no update" on when Arnold may report to the club. 

Why Seahawks may reconsider signing Terrion Arnold

Assuming Arnold signs with the Seahawks, he will be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list because he is facing eight felony charges in Florida regarding his arrest linked with a robbery and kidnapping that reportedly took place in February. Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk seems to think the Seahawks could have second thoughts about putting pen to paper on a deal with Arnold following Tuesday's developments. 

"Why would the Seahawks sign a player who’s going to go directly on the commissioner’s exempt list? Players on the exempt list receive their pay, and that pay counts against the salary cap," Smith explained. "Why would the Seahawks want any portion of their salary cap going to a player they know won’t play for them? It would be surprising if Neeru and Vinod Khosla, who have agreed to buy the Seahawks and are expected to be approved as the team’s new owners next week, are OK with inheriting a player they’re going to have to pay while he is not allowed to play and faces eight felony charges that carry a potential sentence of life in prison."

In short, an outsider could feel that the NFL did the Seahawks a favor by informing them that they could find themselves having to pay Arnold even though it's unknown if he'll ever play a down of meaningful football for the club. As of Tuesday afternoon, Arnold remained an unsigned free agent.