Terrion Arnold is a couple things for the Detroit Lions.
He’s potential rain to a desert in the Detroit secondary, a badly needed playmaker who can fix up the biggest weakness of a Super Bowl contender. He was also an expensive acquisition. By moving up to make Arnold the second defensive back selected at the 2024 NFL Draft, the Lions gave up a third round pick that could have helped further bolster that defense — an overpay that helped make the Dallas Cowboys’ slow offseason a little more appealing.
On Friday at the team’s rookie mini-camp, we learned a third thing about Arnold. He’s a Dan Campbell guy.
Terrion Arnold: “If my mom was a receiver, I’d jam her into the dirt.”
“And she knows that.” pic.twitter.com/HOghY8uyTL
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) May 10, 2024
The head coach who once implored his players to bite kneecaps had to like hearing his new cornerback’s approach. It doesn’t matter who he’s up against; they’re getting jammed off the line and rendered inert in the passing game.
That’s a big deal. The Lions’ 91.5 passer rating allowed last season ranked 20th in the NFL despite a beautiful rookie campaign from Arnold’s former Alabama teammate Brian Branch. Detroit ranked 25th in terms of expected points added (EPA) allowed per dropback.
If this team is going to make the leap from playoff team to NFC — or NFL — champion, it needs players willing to bury their own parents in coverage. Now the Lions have to wait and see if Arnold’s as good at shutting down Justin Jefferson as he is his own mother.