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The Detroit Lions can't seem to break a certain cycle that they've been in, and it's happening all over again.
The Detroit Lions are getting ready for the 2025-26 season, and this time around, they’re hoping for a season with fewer injuries than last. It became almost a running joke, and not in a good way, that the Detroit Lions had so many injuries on their squad last season, especially on the defensive side. If their players had stayed healthier, it’s possible that they wouldn’t have lost to the Washington Commanders in that fateful first game of the playoffs.
So, it’s been a fingers-crossed mindset going into the new season, but already, the Lions are being dealt some bad news. The are already starting to pile up, and the season hasn’t even started yet. Heck, the preseason hasn’t even started, so it’s concerning, to say the very least, to see these injuries start to happen.
The latest injury happened during the Detroit Lions’ training camp on Thursday, July 24. To make matters worse, it was one of the team’s cornerbacks, and many likely remember that the team had a lot of injured cornerbacks last season.
Detroit Lions Cornerback Leaves Practice
According to a post on X from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold is out until further notice. The news follows recent injuries experienced by cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, linebacker Derrick Barnes and defensive tackle Roy Lopez.
“Sources: #Lions CB Terrion Arnold left practice today with a strained calf. I’m told the team plans to be cautious before putting him back on the field. LB Derrick Barnes, who also left practice, should be fine,” he stated in the message.
So, how serious are calf injuries? Of course, they can be very serious. Arnold’s injury could go either way.
“Calf injuries are no joke,” Candace Pedraza of SideLion Report notes in a feature published on Thursday, July 24. “For NBA fans, if you watched the NBA Finals, you know just how quickly those can go from a pestering injury to a full-blown Achilles tear. Tyrese Haliburton didn’t need much time to figure that one out.”
Pedraza adds, “Arnold is supposed to be entering his second year with Detroit after having a really solid rookie year – 10 passes defended and 47 solo tackles.”
Key Lions Players Already Getting Injured
So, it appears that the Lions will keep Arnold off the field for a while, especially with the team’s first padded practice starting up on Friday, July 25. Hopefully, when the coaches speak to the media, they’ll have new information about Arnold’s injury.
With key players already out, the depth chart become even more critical. But, ideally, at the start of the season, no team should have to rely on their backups.
“With a preseason game right around the corner for Detroit, they need to be cautious as the whole point of training camp is to at least bring your veterans back up to NFL speed while not throwing them into these preseason contests in earnest,” Pedraza noted. “Those games are for feeling out second and third string options.”
So, let’s keep these key player safe during practice, Dan Campbell, and have them fresh for the season.
Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson
