As the Detroit Lions move into the offseason, there will be speculation about big moves they could make. Those kind of moves, right or wrong, will probably go undone in favor of the more grounded plan general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have professed and backed up.
But on the other hand, nothing should be regarded as totally out of bounds heading into free agency, with tentacles on the trade front and eventually the draft. With that in mind, some tough decisions will be on the table.
It's also fair to say other teams could come calling looking to acquire Lions' players via a trade, or some players could be actively shopped on the trade market.
A Lions trade candidate no one has thought about has been put out there
On his list of current trade candidates around the league for the offseason, some of which are obvious, Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac has one Lion.
Not the one you're probably thinking of though, and he has quickly diminished the trade buzz around him on his own anyway.
Instead, Ginniti outlined the case for cornerback Terrion Arnold as a trade candidate.
"A rough 2024 season followed up by a Week 5 season-ending shoulder injury for 2025 puts the future of Arnold in a bit of doubt. With question marks all across Detroit’s secondary this offseason, the former 1st-round pick could be quietly shopped in the coming months. With 2 years, $4.85M (guaranteed) remaining plus a potential 5th-year option for 2028, there may be a team or two looking to offer a change of scenery."
READ MORE: Lions writer suggests pie-in-the-sky trade that would fix almost everything
Arnold had a rough start to his rookie season in 2024, with rampant penalties as he learned what an NFL cornerback can and can't get away with. But he turned a corner midseason, and he was a lot better after that as he played more man and press coverage snaps than most cornerbacks in the league.
Unfortunately, a second-year breakthrough never got off the ground for Arnold. A Week 5 shoulder injury, which was first thought to be season-threatening, caused him to miss two games. Then he missed two games in November due to a concussion. On Dec. 1, he was placed on IR due what appeared to be an aggravation of the previous shoulder issue and he had season-ending shoulder surgery shortly thereafter.
Even with the suggestion he could be "quietly shopped", it feels unlikely the Lions will seriously entertain trading Arnold this offseason. But on the train of thought Ginnitti offered, two cheap guaranteed years left on a rookie contract plus a fifth-year option, there may be teams who make a call to Holmes just to see about the possibility. And maybe, an offer that shouldn't be refused will come.