Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe did not hide what he thinks Terrion Arnold could become if their Alabama reunion happens in the NFL.
With Seattle moving toward adding Arnold, Milroe told Gregg Bell of The News Tribune before Seahawks practice that his longtime friend could make an immediate difference.
“Man, of course he’s my best friend so I can pump and hype him up a lot,” Milroe said, according to Bell. “But man, I really hope he can come here. He can definitely be a difference-maker for us.”
That possibility moved substantially closer Thursday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Arnold plans to sign with Seattle after visits with the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints and New York Giants. The NFL must still determine whether Arnold will be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List following his offseason arrest.
For Milroe, though, Arnold is hardly an unknown quantity.
Jalen Milroe Already Helped Seahawks Evaluate Terrion Arnold
Milroe’s public endorsement is notable because the Seahawks had already sought his opinion behind closed doors.
HBO’s Hard Knocks showed general manager John Schneider telling head coach Mike Macdonald that he had spoken to Milroe as Seattle researched whether Arnold would fit the organization. Schneider relayed a strongly positive review from the quarterback, including Milroe’s belief that Seattle would be a good environment for his former Alabama teammate.
That makes Milroe more than a former teammate excited about a possible reunion.
He was one of the people Seattle consulted while deciding whether Arnold was worth pursuing despite the significant uncertainty surrounding him.
Milroe and Arnold were teammates at Alabama and developed a close friendship there. Now, after Seattle’s front office did its own background work, Arnold appears positioned to join Milroe on the defending Super Bowl champions.
The football appeal is not difficult to understand.
Detroit selected Arnold with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He started 22 games during two seasons with the Lions, totaling 91 tackles, 18 passes defended and one interception before Detroit released him this summer.
Terrion Arnold Would Give Seahawks Another High-Upside Corner
Seattle does not necessarily need Arnold to walk through the door as an unquestioned starter.
But the Seahawks have been reshaping the position after Riq Woolen left for Philadelphia. Seattle drafted Julian Neal, Andre Fuller and Michael Dansby and signed veteran Noah Igbinoghene, while Devon Witherspoon remains the centerpiece of the secondary.
Arnold would give Macdonald another young, physically talented option with significant starting experience — provided he is available to play.
That qualification remains critical.
Arnold faces eight felony kidnapping and armed robbery charges stemming from an alleged February incident in Florida. Arnold has denied involvement. A judge granted him a $1 million bond in June, and his release conditions have allowed him to travel for football-related work.
The NFL’s next decision therefore could determine how quickly Milroe’s prediction can actually be tested. Schefter reported that the league must determine whether Arnold will go on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. Players placed on that list can be barred from practicing and playing while still being paid.
Seattle nevertheless appears prepared to make the acquisition.
And after the Seahawks spent days investigating whether Arnold could fit both their defense and their locker room, one of the people who knows him best has made his position unmistakable.
Milroe wants his friend in Seattle.
More importantly for the Seahawks, he believes Arnold can help them win.
Jalen Milroe Makes Bold Terrion Arnold Prediction as Seahawks Move to Sign CB