Lions Urged to Consider Reunion With Former Starting Defensive Back
Fortunately, the Detroit Lions received a great update on injured cornerback Terrion Arnold on Tuesday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported a second opinion indicated Arnold’s shoulder injury is not season-ending. Furthermore, Arnold could only need about a month to recover.
That prognosis means the Lions might be less inclined to add another cornerback. However, if Arnold lands on injured reserve, a cornerback addition for Detroit still makes sense. In addition to Arnold, Lions cornerbacks Ennis Rakestraw, D.J. Reed and Khalil Dorsey also have injured.
SI on Lions‘ Emmett Matasovky named seven external cornerback options for the Lions to consider. One of the more intriguing possibilities Matasovky proposed was former Detroit defensive back Jerry Jacobs.
“Jacobs is another veteran with experience in Detroit, playing during the first three years of the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell era,” wrote Matasovky.
He started 12 games for the Lions during their NFC Championship appearance year in 2023, picking off three passes. However, that year, Jacobs has not appeared in a regular season game since.
“He spent all of 2024 out of football, too. However, he has stayed in shape for football, as the Cowboys and Colts have each worked him out since June.
His 12 starts in 2023 were a career high for Jacobs. However, he lost his starting role after Week 14 of that season. Jacobs then barely played in the final four games and didn’t dress for any of the team’s playoff matchups.
Since then, Jacobs has spent time with the Los Angeles Rams. But he hasn’t appeared in another NFL game since 2023. The Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts didn’t sign him to contracts following his workouts with those teams.
Why the Lions Could Sign CB Jerry Jacobs
Based on Schefter’s report, Arnold could return by Halloween. That makes the urgency for the Lions to add a cornerback much lower than originally expected to begin this week.
So, if the team adds a defensive back, it would make sense that he has experience but is also a veteran that could play a reserve role when Arnold returns.
As long as he is still in football shape, Jacobs fits that mold. He has started 29 NFL games, all of which came with the Lions. Jacobs is familiar with Detroit’s defensive system and could probably contribute immediately (if in shape).
In 15 games during 2023, he posted 55 combined tackles, including two tackles for loss. Jacobs also had eight pass defenses and three interceptions.
In addition to Jacobs, Matasovsky named former Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson a potential external cornerback option for Detroit. But on Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens signed Gardner-Johnson.
Cornerbacks DiCaprio Bootle, Cameron Dantzler, Melvin Smith Jr., Fabian Moreau and Tre Hawkins were the other external candidates that made Matasovsky’s list.
Jayden Daniels sends Commanders fans into a frenzy with shocking injury claim
All eyes will be on Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels after the bye week. Debates have been raging about when, or if, the dynamic signal-caller would feature again this season. But that didn't stop him from sending fans into a frenzy with a shocking claim.
The Commanders didn't place Daniels on injured reserve with a dislocated elbow. There was no structural or ligament damage, which represented the best-case scenario after a scary-looking complication. The timeline was reportedly between three and six weeks, but some experts didn't think it was worth putting him in the firing line with Washington playing for nothing other than pride.
There are valid arguments for both. However, Daniels is ultra-competitive. If he's healthy enough to compete and help his teammates, he wants to be out there.
Jayden Daniels plans to make Commanders return in Week 13 against the Broncos
According to the player, he could even be on the field in Week 13 when the Commanders host the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football.
Brandon Aiyuk, who's a close friend of Daniels' from their time together at Arizona State, FaceTimed the signal-caller during a social media video. The wide receiver asked the No. 2 pick in 2024 if he would be back this week, and the answer was a resounding yes.
— CulturedUpdates (@CulturedUpdatez) November 22, 2025
This was surprising. Not many thought Daniels would get back so quickly. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, but he's clearly confident of passing specific tests after a prolonged rest period to take his place back in the lineup.
The Commanders would have a simple decision to make if Daniels practices throughout the week. Denver boasts one of the most formidable pass-rushing units anywhere in the league, but head coach Dan Quinn cannot be scared to throw the LSU product into the prime-time fire once again.
Daniels is bullish. He urged Aiyuk, who could be joining his old college teammate in Washington next season if he's released by the San Francisco 49ers as expected, to tune in. He clearly feels he is making encouraging progress, which represents the most encouraging sign yet that the Commanders will get their franchise player back on the field much sooner than initially anticipated.
It remains a wait-and-see scenario. The Commanders will still approach Daniels with extreme caution. Taking things step by step is key, and the Heisman Trophy winner will only be risked if there is 100 percent confidence in his outlook.
The Broncos will be preparing for both Daniels and Marcus Mariota, especially after this revelation. But when it seemed all hope was lost, fans got something positive to latch onto.
