Just a couple of years ago, it seemed that the Detroit Lions had landed a true star at cornerback. Terrion Arnold climbed the ladder at Alabama after a somewhat rocky start to his collegiate career, emerging as a can't-miss first-round pick.
And miss, he did. He struggled to hold his ground as a rookie, and injuries limited him to just eight games in year two. Now, with a revamped secondary, his starting spot might not be as guaranteed as it once was.
Arnold is still working his way back to the field, and he should be back to full strength from his shoulder injury by training camp. There, he'll have to earn his stripes and the CB1/2 spot again, per Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit:
"Dan Campbell says Terrion Arnold's goal right now is to just get fully healthy and ready for training camp," Reisman shared on X. "But then he has to go out there and earn the starting job at cornerback."
Terrion Arnold finally has to step up for the Detroit Lions
Arnold struggled mightily in the Lions' man-heavy defensive scheme as a rookie. Penalties and mental miscues often got in his way, and while all rookies should be given some slack, things weren't much better when he took the field in Year 2.
At least, this isn't the first time he's had to deal with a similar situation. He lost his starting spot to Ali Ricks in college, but ultimately fought back and beat him. He'll have to channel that fire again if he doesn't want to go down as one of the biggest busts in recent years.
Of course, it all starts with getting and staying healthy. Availability is often tabbed as the best of abilities, and Arnold first needs to show that he can stay on the field before they feel comfortable giving him a longer leash.
The Lions' secondary isn't the team's biggest strength, and they will certainly give their former first-round pick as many opportunities to succeed as possible. That said, D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, and Khalil Dorsey should keep him on his toes, and even rookie Keith Abney II could also be an option to start in the boundary, though he's a bit undersized for the position.
Arnold is still young, and he's not to blame for how things ended in his second year in the league. Still, this league doesn't wait for anybody, and a team with Super Bowl aspirations coming off a disappointing season can't afford to let him grow through his mistakes. This will be a crucial season for the former first-round selection, and it'll all start in training camp next month.
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