The Detroit Lions are living a familiar nightmare in 2025. Another season, another wave of cornerback injuries. Both Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed are sidelined, putting pressure on Detroit’s secondary to adapt fast. Arnold’s shoulder injury, suffered in Week 5, initially appeared serious enough to keep him out for weeks.

Reed, meanwhile, remains on injured reserve with a hamstring issue that will keep him out for at least three more games. Even with the chance of Arnold and Reed returning soon, Detroit’s recent injury history made Dan Campbell waste no time in signing the 32-year-old cornerback.

According to a report on X, “Lions are signing veteran slot CB Arthur Maulet to their practice squad, per source. Lions have been looking for CB help after key injuries.”

Arthur Maulet drew interest from several teams before choosing Detroit as his next stop. The veteran defensive back was looking for the right opportunity, and this Lions secondary—battered but still competitive- offered just that. He worked out for the New York Jets last month before ultimately deciding on Detroit.

Maulet originally signed with the Houston Texans ahead of the 2025 season but was released during final roster cuts on August 26. His career has been anything but ordinary—a mix of persistence, production, and a few unexpected turns. After joining the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal in 2021, Maulet made an immediate impact with 47 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass defensed. His performance earned him a two-year extension the following offseason, a move that seemed to solidify his role in the secondary.

But just one year into that deal, the Steelers made the surprising decision to release him. The timing raised eyebrows, especially since Maulet was coming off the most productive season of his career. Posting a career-high 59 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. It later emerged that Maulet had been seeking a pay raise, one the Steelers weren’t willing to meet.

From there, his journey continued, though not without setbacks. Maulet was released again this offseason after an injury-plagued 2024 campaign that limited him to just three games.

Meanwhile, in Detroit, the Lions got a major boost regarding star cornerback Terrion Arnold’s health.

Dan Campbell gets positive twist on Terrion Arnold injury

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Arnold received a second opinion on his shoulder injury that brought promising news—the damage isn’t as severe as first believed, and he could return as soon as later this month.

Head coach Dan Campbell had initially told reporters that Arnold would be “out for a long time” after getting hurt in Sunday’s win over the Bengals, with early reports suggesting his season might be over. But the updated evaluation changed the tone completely. Arnold, who’s started all five games this year, has tallied 22 combined tackles and four passes defended. And his replacement?

Across his eight-year NFL career—spanning stints with the New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, and Steelers—Maulet has recorded 225 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, three recoveries, 16 passes defensed, and four interceptions.

If the new timeline holds, the Lions may have dodged a major blow to their defense—and could have one of their brightest young playmakers back sooner than anyone expected.