Detroit Lions Avoid Crisis After NFL Made Decision About Terrion Arnold

Terrion Arnold will not be able to play for the Seattle Seahawks for the foreseeable future.

Former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold speaks with Dan Campbell after practice | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Lions avoided a significant crisis when they made the decision to part ways with former first-round pick Terrion Arnold.

According to multiple reports, the National Football League has made the decision to place Arnold on the Commissioner's Exempt List, once he officially inks with the defending Super Bowl champions.

One of the Lions biggest question marks is the cornerback position. Had Arnold remained with the team, they likely would have been without his services for a significant period of time.

Arnold, if he is cleared eventually, is going to compete for the Seahawks No. 3 spot at cornerback, behind Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe.

"The timetable right now is being worked out. To my understanding he's visited quite a few teams. ... We're working through that on when's the best time for him to come in," said Mike Macdonald last week. "But, we have an agreement with him. We'll see."

Dan Campbell told local reporters this week he did not have any ill will towards the former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back, despite the team making the decision to part ways with him.

"No. There's certainly those things come up, I mean, you're going to want to, and it's like we said, Terrion's a good dude," said Campbell. "The whole thing's unfortunate, it really is, but it is what it is. There's no way around it.”

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Detroit is now counting on veterans D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin to be the starting cornerbacks. Ennis Rakestraw, who was drafted in the same year as Arnold, is coming off of his best practice in two years.

If Rakestraw can remain healthy and continue to develop, the 2024 draft class will not end up being a complete waste.

"I needed it. I needed a pick this camp," Rakestraw said after an evening practice on Monday. I saw (Christian Izien) Izzy got a little bobble, so I’m like, 'Hey man, I finna grab this.' And then we started bobbling it on the ground and I kept concentration on it and I caught it."

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