The bye week came at the perfect time for the Detroit Lions, who need the extra week to get healthy, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Lions have been decimated by injuries in their secondary, but should welcome some key contributors back for Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings. Among those is starting cornerback Terrion Arnold, who was initially expected to miss the rest of the season but is now on track to return. However, the Lions should still consider reducing his snaps and workload in the second half of the season.
Terrion Arnold Should Take Back Seat Upon Lions Return After Bye Week
Not only did Detroit's secondary not miss a beat in Arnold's absence, but they looked even better. The patchwork defensive backfield against the Bucs in Week 7 delivered an impressive performance, with cornerbacks like Nick Whiteside and Arthur Maulet emerging as difference-makers. This highlighted defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's ability to get the most out of any defender. It also spoke volumes about Arnold and his lack of impact in his first five games of the season.
Arnold's upside is undeniable. The second-year player has all the physical and athletic tools to be a star cornerback in this league. That is what made him a first-round pick only a year and a half ago. He still shows enough flashes to tease that upside. His Week 5 showing against the Bengals, where he was a consistent disruptor with two pass breakups and a near interception, highlighted his potential. At the same time, he continues to be a frustrating player, picking up two more penalties to bring up his penalty total to 16 in his 21 games as a Lion.
Despite these flashes, Arnold still grades as the 99th-best cornerback in the NFL among 112 eligible players, per Pro Football Focus. It's hard to argue that the Lions couldn't get more out of another cornerback in his place.
Amik Robertson has been doing a solid job as an outside cornerback in recent weeks. Rock Ya-Sin has also done a decent job when needed. When he returns, perhaps Avonte Maddox could take a bigger role in the slot, allowing Robertson to remain on the outside. When DJ Reed comes back later in the season, a Reed-Robertson duo on the outside could prove to be a better option. Two of Ya-Sin, Maulet, and Whiteside could be depth options along with Arnold.
Since they invested significant draft capital in him, the Lions understandably want to antagonize Arnold. Finding the right balance between keeping him happy and having the best defenders on the field will be one of the more important tasks for the coaching staff after the bye week.