The Detroit Lions will be without another defensive starter on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
After cornerback Terrion Arnold was listed as questionable on Friday with a groin injury, the Lions announced on Saturday that he had been downgraded to out and wouldn’t travel with the team to Indianapolis.
Arnold was the Lions’ first-round selection in this past April’s draft out of Alabama. He has been one of Detroit’s starting boundary cornerbacks this season and has given up a completion rate of 63 percent on 59 targets at 11.7 yards per catch.
Arnold has also recorded four pass breakups and has a passer rating when targeted of 101.8.
The Lion’s second round pick, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw has also been ruled out for this game and placed on injured reserve. He has played just 46 defensive snaps this season but 95 on special teams.
Without Arnold, the Lions could turn to Kindle Vildor to take his place on Sunday. Vildor has played 72 defensive snaps this season, allowing four completions on seven targets for only 19 yards.
Detroit could also turn to Emmanuel Moseley, who was activated from injured reserve on Saturday. He has not played at all this season after suffering a pec injury during training camp. As noted by Pride of Detroit, Moseley was competing for nickel snaps during the summer but has boundary experience.
Arnold will be one of several Lions’ defenders sidelined at the moment. On injured reserve is DE Aidan Hutchinson, DT Marcus Davenport, LB Derrick Barnes, LB Alex Anzalone, and others.
However, even while navigating injuries, this is a Lions’ defense that still ranks fifth in scoring entering Week 12 and is 13th in yards per play. On the other side of the ball is the highest-scoring offense in football, with Detroit’s offense averaging over 33 points per game.
