The Detroit Lions were dealt devastating injury news following the Week 5 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite improving to 4-1 and taking the lead in the NFC North, the Lions' injury list on the defensive side of the ball was getting longer by the day, with cornerback Terrion Arnold leaving the game after re-aggravating his lingering shoulder injury. It was later revealed that it could be a season-ending injury, leaving the Lions extremely short-handed in the defensive backfield.
Over the last few days, however, the prognosis has improved after the team got a second opinion. On Wednesday, Arnold said that "he's trying to come back as fast as possible" and was "relieved" that his season is not over, per ESPN's Eric Woodyard.
Terrion Arnold Confirms Shoulder Injury Won't Be Season-Ending
Arnold then added that he wanted to cry when he first got the news of a potential season-ender. The second-year defender said, "I just love playing football, being out there with my teammates, and I felt like that last game was kind of like the first game that I actually felt like free."
It sounds like the former Alabama standout will continue to do what he loves later this season. And the Lions desperately need him to come back as they are dealing with a slew of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerbacks D.J. Reed, Ennis Rakestraw Jr, and Khalil Dorsey are all on the injured reserve list. Arnold's injury leaves only Amik Robertson, Avonte Maddox, and Rock Ya-Sin as the cornerbacks on the active roster.
Tre Flowers and the newly signed Arthur Maulet will be options to be elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 6 clash against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The good news is that Dan Campbell and Co. can find different ways to win in the regular season. Lions fans do not doubt that defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will get the defensive unit to punch above its weight until Reed, Arnold, and the rest of the unit, including Alim McNeill and Marcus Davenport, return.
Before leaving the game against the Bengals, Arnold was in the midst of a very solid game after an uneven start to the season. The former first-round pick has been showing flashes of his disruptive, playmaking ability. With how hungry he sounds to get back on the field, Arnold can be someone the Lions can rely on to be productive immediately upon his return.