Despite posting bond following his highly-publicized arrest after voluntarily turning himself in last week, the Detroit Lions made the decision to release cornerback Terrion Arnold.
From the football side of things, this means the Lions have now lost a former first-round pick who was expected to compete for a starting position in Training Camp later this month, and who had been directly challenged by head coach Dan Campbell to earn his spot on the roster. Now a starting job is up for grabs.
And now, former Lions running back Zach Zenner is sharing his thoughts on the situation and bringing attention to how Arnold’s release from the club could cost him a great deal financially.
Former Detroit Lions Running Back Zach Zenner Highlights The Cost Of Terrion Arnold’s Release
Former Lions running back Zach Zenner recently shared his thoughts on Terrion Arnold’s release, explaining why the legal situation could ultimately cost the former first-round pick millions in guaranteed money.
“Terrion Arnold’s imprisonment, released by the Lions, posting million dollar bail, all that has been dominated in the news these past couple of days. Certainly sending support his way, no matter which way this goes, because he’s already lost a lot,” said Zenner. “And one of those things maybe his guaranteed money.”
“One of the interesting things about the story, for me, is the implications this has on this contract, because first round picks receive guaranteed money. And Tarrant Arnold was due $4.8 million in guarantees over the next two years. There is small part of the contract that those guarantees can be voided for violating the NFL’s personal code of conduct policy.”
Zenner continued, “Which can happen, or you can be found guilty of violating that policy, whether you’re convicted or not. The hope for his sake, of course, is that he wasn’t involved, that he gets cleared of all wrongdoing. But, if he was arrested and spent some time in jail, he’s probably involved in some way. And that then allows the Lions to not fulfill on his guarantees and potentially even claw back some of the guarantees that they gave him.”
Arnold was signed to a fully guaranteed 4-year rookie contract with the Lions worth $14,343,710. Meanwhile, it appears as though he’ll have options moving forward with another NFL team despite his current legal issues.
“According to his (Terrion Arnold) attorney Harvey Steinberg, the former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back has already been contacted by three NFL teams in the last 48 hours,” noted Lions Insider John Maakaron of Sports Illustrated.
Zach Zenner Is A Former Detroit Lions Running Back
Zenner was never drafted into the NFL, and would sign a three-year, $1.58 million contract with a $5,000 signing bonus to join the Lions before the 2015 NFL season.
He would go on to appear in a total of 36 games wearing a Lions uniform, starting six of them. During his time in the Motor City, he would rack up 685 yards with eight touchdowns, along with 263 receiving yards.
He later spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and Miami Dolphins before retiring; he is now an agent.
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