Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker has been holding things down for the team on the offensive line for years. He's been one of the NFL's best pass protectors, forming an unstoppable duo between himself and Penei Sewell. Jared Goff owes much of his success since 2023 to their work in the trenches towards protecting him.
Decker, however, is going through a rough 2025 campaign. A shoulder injury has been bogging him down since Week 1, and he returned after two weeks of rest to face off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 with some so-so play. It's obvious he's playing through pain, and that's not something the Lions should feel good about headed towards another postseason berth.
It's clear that Detroit should be targeting a left tackle at the deadline. But, the pickings are slim on that front, leaving the Lions with the hard choice to keep playing Decker at the position while subbing in Dan Skipper and a healthy Giovanni Manu eventually.
Lions are stuck between a rock and a hard place with left tackle woes
The options for the Lions on the trade market at left tackle would either cost the team far too much, or wouldn't solve their issues at the position. Braxton Jones is a solid tackle for the Chicago Bears who could be on the trade block, but the Bears and Lions would likely never make that deal with one another.
This is especially so considering Chicago has begun to improve since their slow start to the season, so they're legitimate threats to Detroit in the NFC North.
Another option at tackle generally for the Lions is Jermaine Eluemunor, the New York Giants' right tackle. He's sparsely played snaps at left tackle, so it's hard to imagine that the Lions would take a huge swing here for a tackle if they're not comfortable swapping sides. But, he'd be an excellent get for Detroit who would fit Sewell's timeline, as well.
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It just goes to show how invaluable having a solid offensive line is in the NFL. Goff is not a mobile quarterback by any means, so having a clean pocket is imperative to his ability to keep posting MVP-esque numbers with this dynamic offense. The run blocking is also important here, as Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery can't succeed without the blocking from the IOL and the work of Decker and Sewell.
Detroit might feel good about their defense at the deadline, especially since so many key pieces are coming back in November and December. Left tackle is not a position they should feel good about, depth wise, and it's one they should consider making a big swing on at the deadline to help Decker out in his recovery process.