The Seattle Seahawks have been among the quieter teams this offseason. Apart from bringing back some of the key pieces that made their run to the Super Bowl possible, they have shied away from any major free agency acquisitions.
But perhaps the biggest change for the team came in the form of the losses on defense. Losing both Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant, the team’s secondary took a major hit. While they’ve tried to address the position, they seem to be leaning towards signing Terrion Arnold, which has left a sour taste in the football community’s mouth.
Terrion Arnold Is Not a Popular Signing for the Seahawks
A first-round pick for the Detroit Lions in 2024, Arnold was starting to prove his credentials in the league. A rookie season where he recorded 10 pass deflections and 60 combined tackles gave the organization high expectations for him.
But his second season was cut short by injuries, and he only appeared in eight games. But this summer has been an outright disaster for him. Turning himself in after a warrant was issued in his name, the Alabama product was charged with kidnapping and robbery.
Eventually, as he was put on house arrest, Detroit decided to wash its hands of him, releasing him near the end of June. Now, nearly two months later, it looks like Arnold has found a new home, as he brings his talents to the reigning Super Bowl champions.
The news of his choice was confirmed by insider Adam Schefter. He wrote on X, “ESPN sources: former Lions CB Terrion Arnold plans to sign with the Seattle Seahawks. Arnold also had visited the Texans, Saints and Giants.”
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However, there remains one more hurdle for the 23-year-old to overcome. Schefter added, “Next, the NFL must decide whether to put Arnold on the Commissioner’s Exempt List after he was arrested on felony charges in connection with a robbery and kidnapping in February.”
But the news of his signing has not been well received by fans either. For some, the youngster needed to face more serious consequences instead of being back so soon.
A fan on X wrote, “Better be suspended. This is a joke.”
Others, though, blamed the franchise, writing, “Seahawks got no morals.”
Unsurprisingly, others chose to go the humorous route, as one fan added, “Life without Riq Woolen has you bringing in kidnappers for help.”
One fan remained shocked about Arnold getting signed so soon after his arrest, writing, “No way he got signed.” But for some, this was the final straw against Seattle, as another fan added, “Just more reason to hate this team.”
NFL writer John Frascella also wasn’t sold on Arnold’s signing and said, “Potentially bad Karma for the Seahawks, here. I don’t like this. I would have stayed out of this.”
However, the decision still rests with the NFL on how they want to proceed with Arnold moving forward. As Schefter explained, it will be up to the league to put him on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.
But one fan directly called out Roger Goodell, claiming, “If Goodell wants me to respect his league, he will do the right thing.”
One other fan, though, was frustrated by the entire process, writing, “He shouldn’t even be able to sign anything until his 8 felonies get figured out. NFL is a [expletive] show.”
It remains to be seen whether the vocal backlash from fans will influence the league’s decision. For the Seahawks, this might be a way to bring back some of the talent they lost on their defense. But the problems with signing Arnold are hard to deny.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.