Terrion Arnold of the Lions Signs Rookie Deal, Puts NFL on Notice
Rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold is now significantly wealthier than he was just a week ago. On June 13, Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press reported that Arnold signed his rookie contract, valued at $14.34 million over four years.
Arnold was the final Detroit Lions rookie to sign his contract. During the team’s minicamp, he spoke to the media, showing no concern about the contract signing process. Instead, he focused on his speed.
“When I ran the 40-yard dash, I had pulled my hamstring the day before, so when people see me keeping up with receivers, they’re surprised by my speed,” Arnold said, as reported by Birkett. “I ran the 40 with a bruised hamstring, but people don’t know that.”
Arnold’s 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine was 4.5 seconds, placing him in the middle of the cornerback group. However, with his hamstring nearly healed during offseason workouts, he appeared faster this spring.
Birkett noted that Arnold took snaps with the Lions’ first-team defense as the No. 2 cornerback alongside veteran Carlton Davis during minicamp.
Leading up to the NFL draft, analysts speculated whether the Lions would trade up for Arnold or another top cornerback of the 2024 class. The Lions did trade up slightly, from No. 29 to 24, showing patience until selecting Arnold.
“We never thought he would be available, but we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Lions general manager Brad Holmes on April 25. Holmes added that Arnold was the team’s highest-rated cornerback in the class.
During his college career at Alabama, Arnold excelled, especially in 2023, his redshirt sophomore season, where he showcased his athleticism with 5 interceptions, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 12 pass defenses.
The Lions aimed to significantly improve their secondary this offseason. Last season, Detroit allowed the sixth-most passing yards in the NFL. The revamped secondary is expected to feature Arnold as a starting cornerback, along with new additions like free agent signee Amik Robertson and second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw.
Entering training camp, the Lions’ cornerback position appears much stronger. Besides adding Davis, Robertson, Arnold, and Rakestraw, the Lions re-signed veteran cornerbacks Khalil Dorsey, Kindle Vildor, and Emmanuel Moseley. Steven Gilmore is also on the roster and could contribute on special teams.
With these additions, Detroit’s cornerback corps is poised to be much stronger in 2024, with Arnold’s surprising speed being a significant factor.