Former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold is still expected to sign with the Seattle Seahawks after the latest news that he would be put on the commissioner's exempt list, meaning he likely won't be able to play or practice for many weeks after the season begins. But if the roles between the Lions and Seahawks were reversed, Arnold might not be playing in Seattle at all this season.
According to the latest episode of HBO's Hard Knocks, released on Tuesday, Aug. 18, it seems the Seahawks knew Arnold would likely miss a significant amount of the 2026 season due to his ongoing involvement in an assault and kidnapping case. The episode featured a conversation between Seahawks special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh and general manager John Schneider,
in which Harbaugh questioned why the Lions released Arnold and whether the Seahawks would have done the same.
The Lions released Arnold on June 29 after a Florida judge freed the cornerback on a $1 million bond, with Arnold still facing four charges of kidnapping and assault. He faces a life sentence if convicted.
Schneider called the allegations against Arnold "very shocking" and told Harbaugh the Seahawks probably would have taken the same course of action as the Lions.
"I think we probably would have had to let him go," Schneider said in the episode.
Arnold was a first-round pick by the Lions in 2024 and was a starting cornerback in his first two seasons. However, his alleged involvement in a February kidnapping and assault in Florida set off a string of legal issues for the third-year cornerback, leading to his June arrest. And though the Lions publicly supported Arnold before his release, with coach Dan Campbell recently calling Arnold "a good dude," the Lions cut Arnold the same day as his release from a Florida jail.
Before it was revealed that Schneider said the Seahawks would take the same course of action as the Lions, Campbell also said the Lions would probably be looking at Arnold if their roles were flipped.
"Every team’s going to do their due diligence just like we would if we were in their seat like Seattle or New York or whoever," Campbell said in Allen Park on Aug. 16. "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 knew he was 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."
Lions CB depth chart after Terrion Arnold charges
The Lions have one solidified starter in D.J. Reed, whom they signed during 2025 free agency from the New York Jets. Rock Ya-Sin is the favorite to win the other outside starting role.
Dave Birkett's recent 53-man Lions roster prediction for the Free Press has the Lions keeping 11 defensive backs, including seven corners.
- D.J. Reed
- Rock Ya-Sin
- Nick Whiteside
- Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
- Roger McCreary
- Khalil Dorsey
- Keith Abney II (rookie)
Lions beat writer Dave Birkett contributed to this story.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Terrion Arnold's new GM in Seattle understands why Lions cut cornerback
