Last season, the Detroit Lions were struck hard by the injury bug. While fans hoped that things would get better this season, it seems that the Lions' injury troubles picked up where they left off. First, defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike was surprisingly ruled out for the season after undergoing unexpected ACL surgery during the offseason.
Then, during the first camp practice, Ennis Rakestraw suffered a chest injury. Though Rakestraw's injury wasn't severe, it brought up worries that the injury bug could hit again.
That said, during Thursday's practice, the Lions saw two more starters leave the field. According to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic, linebacker Derrick Barnes (hand) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (leg) left practice on Thursday. While each player going down could be significant, Arnold's injury may be more costly.
Lions LB Derrick Barnes left practice early and is being evaluated for a hand injury.
— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) July 24, 2025
Lions CB Terrion Arnold left practice early and is being evaluated for a leg injury.
Terrion Arnold Leaves Lions Practice With Leg Injury
Lions' coaches and fans are expecting Arnold to take a big step up in production this year. The former first-round pick looked to be on track to do that, too, with a strong start to camp before the injury. During Tuesday's practice, Arnold recorded a one-handed interception during 1-on-1s.
During our PODD recap, I teased a Terrion Arnold one-handed INT during 1-on-1s.
— Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) July 22, 2025
The Lions just posted it—along with most the 1-on-1 drills—to their Instagram page.
Here’s that, plus a nice PBU from Arnold.
Nice day for him. pic.twitter.com/eqNujTnba9
Furthermore, he also had a nice pass breakup. The 22-year-old plays a very physical brand of football. This led to him getting flagged seven times for defensive pass interference, twice for defensive holding, and once for a facemask, for a total of ten penalties. Though penalties are bound to happen if you play as he does, it's clear Arnold needs to rein it in a bit.
Beyond the penalties, Arnold didn't have the best rookie season. Despite recording 60 tackles and 10 pass deflections, he earned a 50.4 pass coverage grade and a 51.5 overall grade, according to PFF. Still, his talent was clearly showing in the first few training camp practices.
Unfortunately, depending on the severity of the injury, it may put a halt to his development for the time being. Currently, nothing is known beyond that he suffered a leg injury, but even that typically isn't a good thing. The best-case scenario for a leg injury is a pulled hamstring, and anything more could mean he misses significant time.
If this injury does sideline Arnold for a while, then Rakestraw would step in for him at outside cornerback when he returns. Nevertheless, both Lions fans and the organization hope Arnold's injury isn't too serious. Head coach Dan Campbell will likely have an update on him and Barnes on Friday morning.