Monday was a bit of a concerning day for the Detroit Lions, with multiple young players leaving practice with various injuries. That includes 1st round rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold, who suffered a pectoral injury.
But there was so good news for the former Alabama defender on Tuesday: He’s not expected to miss significant time, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. And with a little less than four weeks until the start of the regular season, Arnold is expected to be back in time for the Lions opener.
The exact nature of Arnold’s injury is unclear, though the expected quick timeline for his return is indicative of a minor ailment.
And keeping Arnold in the fold will likely be key for Detroit, and the young cornerback was listed as a starter on the depth chart released on Tuesday.
Arnold comes to Detroit for his rookie season after a decorated career at Alabama that saw him taken in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.
After redshirting in his freshman season at Alabama, Arnold was named a Freshman All-American and to the Freshman All-SEC Team in 2022 followed by a First-Team All-American selection and a First-Team All-SEC nod this past season.
He ended the 2022 season with 45 tackles, nine defended passes, one tackle for loss, a fumble recovery, and one interception, but took his game to another level in 2023. Leading the SEC with five interceptions and 17 pass breakups along with 63 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a sack.
Arnold enters the league with 25 games played under his belt, as the 6-foot, 189-pound cornerback will look to make an instant impact in the league.
Another notable rookie is set to go under the knife
Minnesota Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy is expected to undergo knee surgery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“ESPN Sources: Vikings rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy is expected to undergo knee surgery that will determine how much time he will be sidelined,” Schefter wrote on Twitter. “McCarthy complained about knee soreness over the weekend, and underwent an MRI on Monday night.”
McCarthy all but confirmed his injury with a statement on Twitter.
“Love you Viking nation,” McCarthy wrote. “I’ll be back in no time. Amor fati.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported McCarthy is dealing with a meniscus issue. As reported, McCarthy underwent an MRI after he missed Monday’s practice with knee soreness.