Seahawks GM John Schneider explains controversial signing of Terrion Arnold

The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks confirmed on Saturday that they had signed former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold amid uncertainty about his future.

Specifically, Arnold is facing eight felony charges in Florida regarding his arrest linked to a robbery and kidnapping that reportedly took place in February. While speaking with reporters on Sunday, Seahawks general manager John Schneider explained taking a flier on a player who may never feature for the club.

"Different factors" led to Seahawks signing Terrion Arnold

"There is a ton of different factors that went into it," Schneider explained, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "Obviously, the legal stuff has to take care of itself, and we totally respect that. There are tons of different buckets to this situation. Just the advocates that we had, you know. We traded for Leon Washington the first year that we were here, and he’s basically like [Arnold's] father. Leon [Washington] will always be a legend here, and he has a great relationship with the organization."

As had been expected, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that Arnold would be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list once the league received his contract. Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times noted that Arnold cannot practice or play while on the list, and he will not count against the 53-man roster while on the list. That said, Arnold can attend meetings and will get paid by the Seahawks. 

According to Florio, the Seahawks plan to add cornerback Trevon Diggs to their practice squad. 

"Because Diggs is a vested veteran, he won’t be required to pass through waivers," Florio wrote. "...Schneider said the players, coaches, and staff love Diggs, and that he needs more time to acclimate."

Why Seahawks are making "a long-term play" with Terrion Arnold

"The character just didn’t really fit with the allegations and everybody we’ve talked to," Schneider added about Arnold. "But yes, there’s a long-term play. This isn’t a, 'Let’s see how quickly we can get this done.' Let’s get him in the building and see how it goes."

It remains to be seen how long it will take for Arnold's criminal case to be resolved. Schneider and Co. are clearly comfortable with having Arnold on paid leave while the alarming allegations hover over his status.