NFL Draft rumor: Detroit Lions may have picked Terrion Arnold at perfect time

We’ve seen a couple of Green Bay Packers fans freak out in the wake of the 2024 NFL Draft’s first round, and this bit of news isn’t likely going to make them feel any better.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who published NFL Draft whispers about every team, the Detroit Lions may have jumped to the perfect spot in the draft to select Terrion Arnold. On draft night, the Lions sent a third-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys to move up from Pick 29 to Pick 24—just before the Packers’ pick at 25—to select Arnold. And according to Fowler, the Packers had done their homework and were very interested in Arnold.

“The Packers at No. 25 were among the teams that Arnold’s camp had firmly on the radar entering the 20s,” Fowler wrote. “The belief is Green Bay had Arnold rated highly.”

Now, Fowler doesn’t outright say the Packers were going to pick Arnold, but it’s worth noting that Green Bay could certainly use him. Though they have a No. 1 cornerback in Jaire Alexander, they just declined the fifth-year option of their other projected starter, Eric Stokes. As for their depth, it includes veteran, minimum-salaried Corey Ballentine and 2023 seventh-round pick Carrington Valentine.

Meanwhile, the Lions have a completely restacked cornerback room after troubles in the secondary for the past half-decade. Not only did the Lions add Arnold, but they drafted Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second round, traded for Carlton Davis in the offseason, signed Amik Robertson in free agency, and re-signed Emmanuel Moseley, Kindle Vildor, and Khalil Dorsey. Now Arnold will join that group for a logjam, bloodbath, healthy competition in the cornerback room.