The Detroit Lions may be 4-1 and rolling into Week 6 as one of the NFL’s top teams, but not everything is trending in the right direction, especially when it comes to veteran left tackle Taylor Decker.
Decker, who’s been battling a lingering shoulder injury since the start of the season, missed Sunday’s 37-24 win over the Bengals, and head coach Dan Campbell didn’t exactly sound optimistic about his recovery moving forward.
“Diminishing Returns Each Week”
Campbell was brutally honest when asked about Decker’s status. The team initially hoped that extra rest and rehab during the week would allow him to be ready for Sundays, but that plan appears to have hit a wall.
“Every week, the recovery has been less and less,” Campbell said as quoted by SideLion Report. “He’s not been able to quite catch up, we feel like there’s diminishing returns each week. Man, it’s a little, ah. We just felt like we need to give this guy a little time, and I don’t know how long. But this is so we get him back.”
That quote says a lot. It’s not just about missing a game, it’s about the reality that Decker’s shoulder isn’t improving, and the team may need to think long-term to preserve him for the stretch run.
Giovanni Manu Steps Up (Sort Of)
With Decker sidelined, the Lions turned to 2024 fourth-round pick Giovanni Manu, a developmental tackle. Manu had some promising moments, especially in the run game, but his inexperience showed at times.
Campbell acknowledged as much, noting that Manu has plenty of room to grow.
“I thought he did some good things in the run game. I thought there were some play-action passes he did a good job. And then there were some that they weren’t good, and he’ll learn from.”
The Lions also re-signed Dan Skipper to the active roster this week and elevated Devin Cochran from the practice squad, a clear sign the team is preparing for the possibility that Decker could miss more time.
Why It Matters
Decker isn’t just any player, he’s the longest-tenured Lion on the roster and one of the most respected voices in the locker room. Since being drafted in 2016, he’s been a cornerstone on an offensive line that has grown into one of the league’s best.
If his shoulder doesn’t improve, Detroit could be looking at a major challenge protecting Jared Goff’s blind side. Campbell made it clear he won’t rush Decker back if it means risking his long-term health.
“I don’t want to put Decker out there if it means we get a couple of games and don’t have him for the rest of the year. It makes no sense. So we’ll play this smart.”
The Bottom Line
Decker’s injury is becoming one of the Lions’ biggest storylines of the season, not because of how he’s playing, but because of how much they miss his presence when he’s not on the field.
For now, Detroit will rely on Manu, Skipper, and a mix of line adjustments to keep Goff upright. But everyone inside Allen Park knows one thing: if the Lions want to make a deep postseason run, they’ll need Taylor Decker back, healthy, strong, and ready for the long haul.
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