6 matchups I'll be watching during Lions' joint practices with the Dolphins
Allen Park — Joint practices are upon us.
After more than three weeks of training camp practices and two preseason games, the Detroit Lions will get some of their best work of the offseason this week with a pair of shared sessions with the Miami Dolphins ahead of their preseason game this Saturday.
Here are six practice-field matchups that will have my attention this week.
Reed vs. Miami’s receivers
Look, there’s no question about it: Terrion Arnold should top my list of players to watch this week. The problem is we don’t know if the second-year cornerback is going to suit up, and even if he does, what his level of participation will be.
Arnold is dealing with a hamstring strain, which has shelved him the past couple of weeks. He’s close to returning, based on how well he’s been moving while working with trainers off to the side the past few days. However, hamstrings are easily re-aggravated, and that’s not something the Lions need as the regular season nears, no matter how valuable these reps might be for the young defender.
Arnold was cooking to start camp. Charting practice stats is a silly exercise, but if I did, I’m confident he’d have the most pass breakups, even factoring in his recent absence. Last year’s first-round pick looks primed to make a much-anticipated second-year jump after logging more than 1,000 defensive snaps as a rookie when you include the playoffs.
Arnold and Detroit’s cornerbacks get tested daily by a talented corps led by Amon-Ra St. Brown. Still, Miami’s dynamic starting duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle is the fastest starting tandem in the league. If Arnold could have maintained his camp success against them, being less familiar with their tendencies than his teammates, it would have sent the hype train into overdrive.