Pro Football Focus tabbed the 2026 season as a make-or-break campaign for Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold.
PFF included Arnold among its 10 NFL players with the most at stake in 2026.
Arnold was the latest installment of high-pedigree youngsters added to the Lions’ nucleus over recent years, being taken in the first round by the franchise two years ago. Yet Arnold has failed to play to pre-draft expectations.
Since Arnold’s pro debut in 2024, his 49.5 overall PFF grade slots 70th out of 72 cornerbacks to play a minimum of 1,200 snaps. It’s worrisome that Arnold — who was effective in nearly every dimension at Alabama — has registered sub-51.0 grades in both run defense and coverage, too. On top of that, Arnold played just 333 snaps in 2025 while enduring a shoulder injury.
The Lions are giving Arnold another season of runway to being a perimeter starter next to the returning D.J. Reed. However, Arnold runs the risk of Detroit finding either a competitor or replacement in the coming months if he’s unable to display glimpses of his Crimson Tide form. – Bradley Locker, PFF
Detroit fans would agree that they are ready to see Arnold make a serious ascension with his play in 2026.
A first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Arnold has played in 24 NFL regular-season games and started 22 in his first two seasons. But, his 2025 campaign was particularly injury-laden.
Arnold first injured his shoulder in the Lions’ Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns. Then, he aggravated the shoulder injury the following week against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 6-foot, 195-pound corner would miss the next two games before returning in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings. Arnold would then sustain a concussion against the Washington Commanders in Week 10, costing him two more games.
Arnold returned but was again injured in the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers. The Lions placed Arnold on season-ending injured reserve as he underwent shoulder surgery.
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said at the end of last week that Arnold was among a group of Lions stars that probably wouldn’t practice throughout OTAs.
“Listen, the most important thing is continue to let them improve, rehab, all that. That’ll take precedence right now. They’re in meetings. They’re getting the mental side of this. Just take it day to day. There’ll be a lot of guys who probably won’t practice. TA probably won’t practice,” Campbell said.
Back in late-April, Arnold told The Detroit News that he was fully healthy.
“I haven’t felt this good in a long time. Just playing through all the injuries and kind of coming into the NFL, dealing with my groin from college, and then my shoulder. My whole thing is, man, they’re in trouble. Like, I ain’t felt this good in a long time,” Arnold said.
The Alabama product also described some of what he was dealing with in 2025.
It was torn,” Arnold said of his shoulder. “It was one of those things where anytime I extended it or anytime I would jam (a receiver) or somebody would hit it or I would make a tackle, it was painful. I had to get it operated on. It was something that I felt like I could’ve kept playing through, but then it got to a point where I didn’t want to end up tearing up my nerves and end up doing something that I couldn’t come back from.”
Arnold has totaled 91 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery in his career thus far.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions CB among PFF’s 10 NFL players with most at stake in 2026
