Could the Detroit Lions consider trading Terrion Arnold this season?
If he continues to struggle to piece together just one consistent start to a season, then the likelihood of his name added to the trade block will grow quite large.
Arnold, who is just 23 years old headed into the 2026 season, is still on a very cheap rookie deal with the Lions. He won't be eligible for his fifth-year option being exercised until next year, which makes his performance this year all the more paramount. He could make or break a huge extension for himself with his play.
Of course, Detroit might need to cut their losses as it pertains to Arnold if he ebbs closer to what he was in 2024, which was a penalty machine, or if he can't stay on the field due to health. One team that could swoop in with an offer is one that's been poaching the Lions defense since the kick-off to free agency: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lions could ship out Arnold to Buccaneers
FanSided's Jake Beckman recently pieced together potential trade targets for all 32 teams this offseason, with Arnold landing in Tampa Bay's section. He wrote:
"For the first time in forever, we’re going to be seeing a Buccaneers defense without Jamel Dean. He went to the Steelers in free agency, so now Tampa’s starting cornerbacks are Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison. For depth, all they have is Josh Hayes and Ayden Garnes. No matter which way you spin it, they’re going to have a really, really bad pair of outside cornerbacks."
According to Beckman, Arnold could be a great get for a Buccaneers defense looking to revamp their secondary for very, very cheap. Of course, it doesn't seem likely that the Lions would send Arnold out before they see how he plays after fully recovering from shoulder surgery. But, the fit makes a lot of sense.
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"He just hasn’t really clicked with that defense. In 2024, he was super penalized. He was called for defensive pass interference seven times. In 2025, he missed most of the season because of injuries and concussions," added Beckman.
Arnold, who was picked 24th overall by the Lions back in 2024, has just one career interception under his belt. In his rookie season, he had just ten passes defended through 16 games.
Another underrated element to this: Arnold has rookie Keith Abney II breathing down his neck as a potential starting outside corner, although Abney is mocked as more of a NB right now due to his size. Still, there will be competition lurking in the room for Arnold, so he has to be sharp in the offseason and OTAs to further cement his opportunity with the Lions this season.
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