Allen Park — Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, who played more than 1,000 snaps as a standout rookie in 2024, will see his sophomore campaign disrupted after being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. The move follows a season marred by multiple setbacks for the former first-round pick, whose availability has been limited since training camp.
Arnold’s injury troubles began in August when a hamstring strain sidelined him for a portion of camp. He later suffered a groin issue ahead of Week 2 before sustaining his first shoulder injury in Week 4. Although he fought to remain in the lineup, he reaggravated the shoulder shortly afterward, raising early concerns that his season might be in jeopardy.
After returning post-bye week, Arnold’s momentum was again halted when he entered concussion protocol, costing him two more games. He managed to clear protocol before last Thursday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers but played only 17 snaps in a limited role. While there was no clear moment in the game when the shoulder injury occurred, Arnold absorbed a heavy hit early and later landed awkwardly during a touchdown stop attempt.
Despite battling through the discomfort, Arnold continued rotating into the defense until late in the fourth quarter. With his placement on injured reserve, the Lions will rely more heavily on veteran Amik Robertson on the outside. Detroit previously used Arthur Maulet as Robertson’s replacement in the slot, but Maulet’s recent release will likely shift responsibilities, with Rock Ya-Sin stepping into outside duties when Robertson moves inside for nickel packages.
Although the move strongly suggests Arnold’s season is likely over, he remains technically eligible to return after four games, aligning with the regular-season finale. If his 2025 campaign has come to an end, the young cornerback will finish having appeared in eight games, recording eight pass breakups and his first career interception.
In corresponding roster moves, the Lions bolstered their depth by signing running back Jabari Small, tight end Giovanni Ricci, and wide receiver Andrew Armstrong to the practice squad. Small previously spent part of training camp with Detroit, while Ricci brings experience from 36 games with Carolina. Armstrong, an athletic 6-foot-4 receiver and former Arkansas standout, spent the offseason with the Miami Dolphins.
Detroit also had a strong early showing in Pro Bowl fan voting, with 11 players ranking inside the top 10 at their respective positions. Standouts include Jack Campbell (first among inside linebackers), Penei Sewell (first among offensive tackles), Aidan Hutchinson (third among defensive ends) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (fourth among wide receivers). Fan voting continues through Dec. 23 and accounts for one-third of the Pro Bowl selection process.
