Only a short time after the Detroit Lions wrapped up their offseason workout program, they were dealt startling news late on Wednesday evening.
Cornerback Terrion Arnold was arrested after voluntarily turning himself in to the Orient Road Jail in Florida, and faces the potential of spending the rest of his life in prison if he were to be convicted.
While this is still an ongoing situation, the Lions also have to think about how it affects their upcoming season. Prior to being arrested, Arnold had already been struggling with inconsistent play along with injury concerns that greatly limited his ability last season.
Additionally, the Lions have added veteran talent and had several young defensive backs pushing for playing time, creating a much more competitive battle for the starting outside corner spot.
That being said, one Cleveland Browns Insider has speculated that after the club traded away Myles Garrett in a stunning move, it means that anyone could potentially be traded.
As it happens, the Browns have a veteran cornerback who has been embroiled in trade rumors.
Could The Detroit Lions Poach The Cleveland Browns Of Cornerback Denzel Ward As A Replacement For Terrion Arnold?
It was only weeks ago that the Browns stunned everyone in the NFL word by trading away Myles Garrett, the best defensive player in the League, to the contending Los Angeles Rams. It was a move that clearly put the rest of the League on notice that nobody on their roster was untouchable.
According to veteran Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland on Thursday, the Browns aren’t likely to trade cornerback Denzel Ward, but that the stunning trade of Garrett means anything is possible at this point.
“The Myles Garrett trade makes certain that no one is completely off-limits and that everyone has a price, and there’s a time and a place for everything,” she said. “But I really don’t see the Browns having any desire whatsoever to trade Denzel Ward.
“Of course, having said that, you can never say never about any of these things. You’re not going to trade someone until (a team) comes along and offers you Jared Verse and a first-round pick and a second-round pick and a third-round pick (for Garrett). We know that (GM) Andrew Berry loves to wheel and deal, but at this moment in time I don’t think they have any plans whatsoever to trade Denzel Ward.”
Denzel Ward Was A Former Browns First Round Pick In 2018
Ward, who played college football at Ohio State, was selected by the Browns in the first round (fourth overall pick) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
So far in his NFL career, he’s amassed a total of 361 tackles, six fumble recoveries, and four forced fumbles. He also has 104 pass deflections along with 18 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns.
He’s also earned five Pro Bowl nominations in 2018, 2021, and every season from 2023 through 2025.
He’s in the midst of a five-year, $100,500,000 contract with a cap hit of nearly $31 million for the upcoming season.
Lions Urged To Target 5-Time Pro Bowl Former 1st Round Pick