The Detroit Lions are planning to be without starting cornerback Terrion Arnold for “a long time” after his injury in Week 5’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals, dealing another brutal blow to the team’s already-battered position group.
Arnold suffered a shoulder injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s 37-24 win over the Bengals and had to be carted off the field and into the team’s locker room. While the Lions initially ruled him questionable to return, they ruled him out shortly thereafter.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell then provided a grim update on the former first-round pick during Monday’s news conference, telling reporters he will be “out for a long time.
He was very competitive,” Campbell said Monday afternoon about Arnold’s standout performance against the Bengals. “I thought he was calm, I thought he was cool. And I thought it was one of the better games he’s played in a while, thought he was pretty good. We put a lot on him, and I thought he answered the bell.
“Unfortunately, he’s going to be out for a while. He’s going to be out for a long time.”
Lions Won’t Rule Out Season-Ender for Terrion Arnold
Arnold’s shoulder is not a new problem for the Lions, albeit a more serious one now.
Arnold originally injured his shoulder while trying to tackle running back Quinshon Judkins in the fourth quarter of Week 4’s win over the Cleveland Browns, forcing him to exit early from the matchup. He did not return for the remainder of that game, either.
Afterward, Campbell expressed optimism that Arnold’s injury would not cost him time. Arnold’s status in the week of practice ahead of the Bengals also seemed to support his evaluation. While the Lions limited him in their first practice last week, he returned in full for the final two sessions and avoided an injury designation for Week 5’s game.
Unfortunately, Campbell did not have as much optimism after Arnold’s injury against the Bengals. He also said he could not rule out a season-ending injury when asked how long Arnold might spend sidelined, which suggests injured reserve could be in play.
A brutal outcome for the Lions, especially considering their other injuries at corner.
Injuries to Lions Cornerbacks Create New Problems
With Arnold now out for the foreseeable future, the Lions are in a rough spot when it comes to the health of their cornerback room as they prepare for the rest of the year.
The Lions won’t have either of their top two cornerbacks available for Week 6’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs after placing veteran D.J. Reed on injured reserve last week. They also had to shut down Ennis Rakestraw Jr. — a 2024 second-round pick — in early August, leaving them without three of their top corners from training camp.
Additionally, the Lions could have more problems brewing with their cornerback depth after seeing veteran Rock Ya-Sin also suffer an injury against the Bengals on Sunday. While Campbell did not provide a clear update on his availability for Week 6, it adds another problem to the Lions‘ plate at the position ahead of their prime-time game.
As of Monday morning, the Lions only had two healthy cornerbacks on their 53-man roster between Khalil Dorsey and Amik Robertson. Even if the Lions clear Ya-Sin to play against the Chiefs, they will undoubtedly need to seek out reinforcements for the position group before their 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff for Sunday Night Football.
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