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5 realistic cornerback trade targets for the Detroit Lions after Terrion Arnold’s release
Detroit Lions may not need to overpay to replace Terrion Arnold. One former first-round pick, a familiar face, a young ascending starter, and two experienced veterans could all make sense as trade targets.
Mike Hughes
Hughes might be a name Lions fans remember. He spent time with Detroit in 2022 and had a pretty decent season before the Atlanta Falcons signed him. He started for Atlanta across three seasons. Hughes isn’t flashy, but he’s reliable. He averages about two penalties a year, which is a welcome change given what Arnold was doing in that department. Last season, he allowed a reception percentage of just 56.1 and posted a passer rating against of 84.5, the best of his career.
He’s going to turn 30 by the end of the season, so the price tag shouldn’t be steep. The Lions could probably call Atlanta, offer a sixth-round pick, and get him. Hughes could come in and compete with Rock Ya-Sin for the starting job, or he might just take it outright. He’s someone who has been in the Lions’ system before and knows what Detroit expects. That matters.
Renardo Green
Green is a younger option who plays for the San Francisco 49ers. They took him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the same class as Arnold. The problem for Green is that San Francisco’s cornerback room is stacked right now with Jack Jones, Deommodore Lenoir, their rookie Ephesians Prysock, Jakob Robinson, and veteran Eli Apple. Green was the starter all of last season, but there’s a growing thought that with so many options, the 49ers might consider moving him before the season starts. Plus, San Francisco is eventually going to have to pay him, and trading him now frees up future flexibility.
This one would probably cost a fourth- or fifth-round pick, and it might be the most unrealistic of the bunch. But the talent is real, and it’s worth monitoring.
Deonte Banks
Banks was the 25th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and it hasn’t worked out with the New York Giants. He’s been a starter, but the results haven’t matched the draft capital. Now he has to compete with Greg Newsome, Colton Hood, and Paulson Adebo for playing time, and there’s a real chance he gets beat out. The Giants might feel comfortable going with someone like Kori Black or Rico Payton and flipping Banks for whatever they can get.
Because he hasn’t lived up to his draft slot, the Lions wouldn’t have to pay a first-round price. A fifth- or sixth-round pick could get it done. This is a riskier play because the production hasn’t been there consistently, but Banks has been a starter for multiple years and has shown flashes. You’re betting on potential, which is exactly why you’re not giving up much to acquire him.
Paulson Adebo
Adebo signed with the Giants as a free agent last year, and it seemed like the Lions would be in on him at the time. He played under Dennis Allen in New Orleans, and Allen, Aaron Glenn, and Kelvin Sheppard all run a similar defensive scheme to what Detroit operates. It just made sense. The Lions ultimately went after D.J. Reed instead, which was the better move. But after a rough first year in New York, the Giants may feel Adebo isn’t what they paid for. If they decide to give Banks a longer look under Jon Harbaugh, Adebo could become available. The Lions would be smart to get on top of that because Adebo fits Detroit’s defense better than whatever New York has been running through its recent coaching changes.
Kristian Fulton
Fulton spent most of his career with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers before moving to Kansas City in 2025, where injuries derailed his season. He’s still just 27 years old. In 2024, his last full season, he allowed a 65.2 reception percentage. In the few games he played last year, he posted a 50% reception percentage and had four pass breakups before the injury shut him down. In the two games he started for the Chiefs down the stretch, he played pretty well, but Kansas City had already moved on from him as a long-term starter.
The Lions could probably get Fulton for a sixth-round pick. He could come in, compete for the starting job, and likely win it. At 27, he has multiple years of productive football ahead of him. That’s the kind of low-cost, high-floor move Detroit should be making right now.
Those are five names worth watching as the Lions look to fill the hole Arnold left behind. None of them will shake up the league, but the Lions don’t need that. They need someone who can step in, compete, and play solid football. Any of these guys could do that.
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