The Detroit Lions' secondary will be missing key pieces when the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Motor City this weekend. On Friday afternoon, WXYZ Detroit's Brad Galli reported that cornerback Terrion Arnold (concussion) won't be suiting up against the Eagles, nor will safety Kerby Joseph.
Being shorthanded against the defending Super Bowl Champions isn't ideal, especially when Arnold got concussed during his best outing of the season. The second-year pass disruptor was locked in against the Washington Commanders last week, allowing just an eight-yard reception and a 42.4 passer rating on three targets, per Pro Football Focus, culminating in a season-best 90.3 coverage grade — third-best among 107 CBs in Week 10.
He didn't practice this week, though, and with players needing to clear NFL concussion protocol before returning to the field, Arnold's absence isn't a surprise. Just unfortunate.
Needless to say, Arnold probably isn't feeling great that he won't get a chance to capitalize on that terrific effort. At least, not immediately. Making matters worse is that the Lions just kicked him when he was down, even if it wasn't intentional.
Lions HC Dan Campbell Praises Quinyon Mitchell Amid Terrion Arnold's Absence
Before Arnold was officially ruled out on Friday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell had some kind words for an opposing cornerback. According to A to Z Sports' Mike Payton, Campbell told reporters that Detroit "liked" Eagles CB Quinyon Mitchell ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.
What makes Campbell's praise stand out, as pointed out by Payton, is that Mitchell was drafted by the Eagles two picks before (No. 22) the Lions went with Arnold (No. 24). One has to wonder if the former Toledo Rocket would be donning a Detroit uniform this weekend had he not ended up in the City of Brotherly Love instead.
As Arnold is still struggling to cement himself in the Lions' secondary, Mitchell has already established himself as one of the NFC's better cornerbacks. The 24-year-old ballhawk played a key role in the Eagles' championship season, and that trend has continued into his second NFL campaign. He's yet to allow a touchdown on 55 targets to date, allowing only 25 completions (45.5%) for 269 yards and a 60.3 passer rating. His 69.4 coverage grade is 18th-best among CBs who've played at least 50% of coverage snaps for their team.
Meanwhile, Arnold has given up 21 receptions on 37 targets (56.8%) for 322 yards, one touchdown, and an 83.4 passer rating. He's also less disciplined, taking six penalties compared to Mitchell's three, while Arnold's 54.4 coverage grade is 36th-worst among CBs who've played at minimum 20% of snaps.
With that in mind, it isn't hard to see why Campbell might wish Mitchell were on his roster, especially with his being more of a known commodity. Still, time machines don't exist, so no one can go back to change how the 2024 draft turned out. Instead, the Lions have to put their faith in Arnold, hoping that Week 10 will be more of the norm moving forward rather than an outlier.