Terrion Arnold, the former Detroit Lions cornerback now facing serious criminal charges, may not be out of the NFL just yet — at least according to his legal team.
Arnold, 23, was arrested last week on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping stemming from an incident that occurred in February near Tampa, Florida. He was released from custody on $1 million bond.
Prosecutors have been pushing for stricter conditions on Arnold’s release, including house arrest and a GPS monitoring bracelet. However, defense attorney Harvey Steinberg filed an objection with a Florida judge, arguing those measures would interfere with his client’s ability to pursue employment with another NFL franchise.
The Lions cut Arnold on Monday following his arrest. Because Arnold is not a fully vested NFL veteran, he was subject to the waiver wire, which would have allowed other teams to claim him as of Thursday.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court had agreed that a tracking device could hinder Arnold’s ability to do his job — but that ruling came before the Lions made their decision to release him, which may now shift the judge’s thinking on the matter.
In his written objection, Steinberg stated: “Although Mr. Arnold has been released by the Detroit Lions organization, he already has been contacted by three other NFL clubs regarding his services.”
Despite that claim, the NFL’s daily transactions report showed no team had submitted a waiver claim on Arnold as of Thursday afternoon.
