The NFL’s decision to reinstate Packers running back Josh Jacobs and Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper from the Commissioner Exempt list carried with it a conspicuous omission.
Seahawks cornerback Terrion Arnold remains on paid leave.
All three landed on paid leave on Sunday, August 30. Both Jacobs and Cooper are returning after six games. Arnold will continue to wait.
The distinction highlights the evolution of paid leave. Now, the NFL uses it as a way to pre-suspend a player with pay for the number of games he’s likely to miss once officially suspended under the Personal Conduct Policy. The player receives credit once he’s suspended without pay for the games missed while on paid leave.
As to Arnold, who faces a potential sentence of life in prison due to eight felonies arising from an alleged armed robbery and kidnapping, it makes sense for the league to wait for the criminal case against him to be resolved. While the standard punishment for a case of domestic battery is six games, the claims against Arnold could trigger something longer — especially in light of the potential criminal penalties.
Frankly, the NFL may never have to convert Arnold’s paid leave into an unpaid suspension. If he ends up behind bars for the practical balance of his career, the length of the suspension won’t matter.