Taylor Decker is optimistic about playing in the Detroit Lions’ home opener against the Chicago Bears, though head coach Dan Campbell appeared uncertain during Friday’s media availability.
Campbell confirmed that Decker will miss practice Friday for the third consecutive day, with his status for Sunday’s game still undecided. If Decker is unable to play, second-year lineman Gio Manu is expected to start at left tackle.
“For the record, Deck wants to play,” Campbell said. “I’m going to make that very clear. Deck wants to play. So this is about the long-term season is what this is going to come down to, just as far as what we do for this one.”
Taylor Decker Played All Snaps Against the Packers
Decker missed the start of training camp following offseason shoulder surgery but played all 67 snaps in the Lions’ season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers. He sat out practice this week with a shoulder issue and admitted he’s “got some stuff that I’m dealing with,” though Campbell said he’s unsure whether the current injury is connected to Decker’s offseason procedure.
“He’s got a little bit of something here and so we’re just trying to buy him some time here to where he feels better,” Campbell said. “And then a lot of it, too, is the luxury of Decker’s played a lot of football and so he’ll be ready. He’ll be ready as long as it feels right. But yeah, we feel good right now and there again, we still got another day here so we’ll see. I can’t give you a definitive yes (on whether he plays), but that’s where it’s at.”
The Lions Have A Lot of Questions on the O-Line
The Lions have already faced injuries at offensive tackle this season.
Jamarco Jones, the team’s No. 3 tackle, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in practice last week, while Dan Skipper, last year’s swing tackle, has missed the past two weeks of practice due to a knee injury.
Manu, a fourth-round pick last year, has yet to play an offensive snap in the NFL and is still considered a developmental player. Campbell noted that the Lions may need to adjust their game plan if Decker is unavailable, emphasizing the importance of avoiding negative down-and-distance situations.
“He’s going to have to be ready and he knows that,” Campbell said. “He’s been getting reps all week. I did think he practiced better these last two days, which is good. And it – he’s part of a whole unit, he’s part of all five of those guys up there so he’ll be ready.”
Kickoff for Lions-Bears is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT Sunday on Fox.
Lions Get Concerning News on Taylor Decker Ahead of Bears Game