As the Detroit Lions gear up for their Week 5 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, they might take the field without a key piece of their offensive line.
The team announced Sunday morning that starting left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) has been downgraded to doubtful. As of Saturday afternoon, the 10-year veteran was listed as questionable.
Decker has been managing the shoulder issue throughout the season. While he has played in every game so far, he has practiced only once since the start of Week 1.
With his status uncertain, the Lions elevated offensive lineman Devin Cochran from the practice squad.
Cochran, a 6-foot-7 behemoth of a lineman, has spent roughly a month on Detroit’s practice squad. This marks his first game elevation with the Lions -- fittingly against his former team, the Bengals. In addition to Cochran, the Lions also have rookie Giovanni Manu available as part of their offensive line rotation.
If Decker can’t go, the Lions have options to fill his spot, with Manu likely getting his first start.
The Lions drafted the 6-foot-7, 350 pound Manu in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, which was held in Detroit.
In the days leading up to the game, Lions coach Dan Campbell praised Decker’s toughness, fortitude, and preparation in making himself available each week despite the pain.
“It’s not easy. There are very few players that can get away with that,” Campbell said. “And normally if you are, you’ve got a lot of ability, you’ve played a lot of snaps, you understand your own body pretty good, and you can find a way. So, what he’s done has been pretty impressive. It really is.
“Like I say, he’s been pushing through it, and I know it’s not up to his standards. What I’ve told him is that you’re helping us win these games, man. It’s winning football.”
With Decker in the lineup, the Lions are at their best in protecting quarterback Jared Goff. Over the last three weeks, the offensive line has not allowed a single sack -- a feat the team has not achieved since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
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