The Detroit Lions made a few important additions to the defensive side of the ball in the offseason, but the splashy signing some fans were hoping for never came. The Lions bet on continuity and better health next season to get them back to contention.
While most are focused on the defensive line and the pass rush as potential areas of weakness, the Lions also have some question marks about their secondary. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch's injuries aside, the Lions' cornerback rotation leaves something to be desired, as well.
Terrion Arnold has to be better for the Lions to have a shot at contention
This is mostly due to the bet the Lions made on Terrion Arnold. Other than using a fifth-round pick on Keith Abney, the Lions didn't make an addition to the outside. Even Abney's future in Detroit may be more in the slot. After the draft, GM Brad Holmes made remarks that suggest that they plan on using the rookie in the nickel.
Roger McCreary and Christian Izien were also added, but McCreary will almost certainly get most of his snaps in the slot, and Izien is expected to start the season at safety.
This makes Arnold the indisputable starter on the outside in Week 1. Entering his third season in the league, the former first-round pick is running out of time to establish himself as a starting-caliber corner in the NFL.
His second season was hindered by a shoulder injury that cut his season short. He had to undergo surgery towards the end of the season, which still has lingering effects. Arnold has surprisingly been a limited participant in organized team activities. Either the team is being overly cautious with him, or he may still not be 100%.
There is still plenty of time for Arnold to get back to full health, but that should be the least of his concerns.
The former Alabama standout has had his moments in Year 2, but he was far from consistent. He was finding his groove before his injury, as he had one of his best games as a Lion in Week 5 against the Bengals. But he wasn't able to keep that momentum going as he was in and out of the lineup before his season ended prematurely.
Last season, Arnold received a defensive grade of 52.6 on Pro Football Focus, ranking 92nd out of 114 qualified cornerbacks. That was in line with his rookie season performance. If anything, there was a real decline in his tackling as he had a disappointing 11.8% missed tackle rate.
Arnold still has the trust of the Lions' top brass thanks to his reputation and where he was drafted. So far, the on-field production hasn't matched his draft spot.
Even though he will begin the year as the starter opposite DJ Reed, Arnold will be on a short leash. Rock Ya-Sin and Abney will be waiting for their opportunities. If Arnold isn't looking better than he finished last season, the calls for his benching will get louder each week.
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