The Detroit Lions have finally broken their silence on Terrion Arnold following his felony arrest last week. But the headlines didn't stop there, as teammate Ennis Rakestraw Jr. shared a cryptic post.

“6️⃣🙏🏾🙏🏾‼️,” wrote Rakestraw Jr. on his X handle following Arnold’s release from the team.

Given that Rakestraw Jr., who signed a $6.48 million contract with the Lions, shared this message shortly after the news broke, the "6" clearly references Arnold, who wore the No. 6 jersey. The show of support comes as no surprise, especially since Terrion and Ennis have been close friends since the 2024 NFL Draft.

On Monday, the Lions announced that they were releasing Arnold after Hillsborough County Judge Christopher Sabella set a $1 million bond with the condition that Arnold remain confined to his home.

According to a report by ESPN, several strict conditions have been imposed on Arnold's release.

He is not allowed to be in contact with the six co-defendants or witnesses of the case. Additionally, he must surrender his passport within 48 hours and remain confined at home, except for court-related matters or potential team training and travel.

Prosecutors wanted Arnold to be held without bond and wear a GPS monitor, but his attorney argued that it would derail his football career.

While the prosecutors wanted Arnold to face a life sentence, Judge Christopher Sabella granted him bond, saying the prosecutors are "not there yet" in showing a strong case for Arnold's guilt.

Despite the ruling, Erin Maloney, a spokesperson for the state attorney's office, expressed their dissatisfaction.

“Our office remains committed to seeking justice for the three victims in the case who were beaten, robbed, and held against their will,” said Erin Maloney, per ESPN.

Following the ruling, Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports Management, which represents Arnold, said she was pleased that the judge's ruling proved her client had little to do with the violence.

The ruling might be in his favor for now, but his career with the Lions is over, and they now look to Rakestraw Jr to step in to fill the hole.

Could Rakestraw Jr fill in Terrion Arnold’s spot?

In Arnold's absence, Rakestraw is a name the Lions might look to, but he remains unproven in Detroit's cornerback competition. The 2024 second-round pick has played only eight career games so far due to a shoulder injury that cost him last season.

During that stretch, he recorded six total tackles. His NFL experience is too thin to draw any conclusion, but his college football numbers do say something else.

Across his 36-game career at Missouri, he recorded 107 tackles, 79 solo and 24 pass defended.

According to Pro Football Focus, his grades climbed steadily from a 63.1 overall mark as a freshman to 80.7 as a senior. His coverage rating jumped from 59.6 to 78.7 over that stretch as well.

These are the numbers that would make the Lions look to make him the team's starting cornerback, but he would still have to compete with Rock Ya-Sin for the role.

Will Ennis Rakestraw Jr. step up and claim the starting role, or should the Lions look elsewhere to fill the void left by Terrion Arnold? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore