When Thursday's practice report came out, heading into Week 10 against the Houston Texans, the Detroit Lions had a huge potential injury concern. On Friday that concern came to full bloom when left tackle Taylor Decker did not practice and was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Decker is one of more underappreciated left tackles in the league. He is Pro Football Focus' No. 30-graded offensive tackle entering Week 10, and his 70.4 pass blocking grade would be markedly better if not for a dud (25.6 pass blocking grade) in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Decker's performance so far this year is a drop-off from what he did last year (PFF's No. 9 offensive tackle), and he has occasionally popped up on practice reports with a rest day or an injury. But he has not missed a game before this week, and the shoulder issue was a new injury.
Not many, if any, NFL teams can easily cover for an injury to one of their starting offensive lineman. For the Lions, with the best offensive line in the league, the drop-off from a starter to a backup is usually very steep-and at times someone has to switch positions.
How will the Lions replace Taylor Decker in Week 10 vs. Texans?
It's obviously unfortunate Decker will miss Sunday night's game. But fortunately we have a little history to inform how the Lions might replace him.
When Decker missed the first eight games of the 2021 season due to a finger injury, Penei Sewell moved from right tackle to left tackle. Of course there was a massive drop-off at right tackle, with Matt Nelson filling in for Sewell.
Decker missed Week 2 and Week 3 last season with an ankle injury. Sewell moved again, with Nelson making both starts at right tackle but not finishing the second game.
Dan Skipper was been the extra tackle for the Lions in heavy formations this season. He saw time at left tackle during the preseason, but it was a mixed bag. He has played a little bit of right tackle as well in his career.
Diving deeper into offensive tackle options for the Lions, Colby Sorsdal and rookie Giovanni Manu are on the 53-man roster and Jamarco Jones is on the practice squad.
Sorsdal has been a healthy scratch for all but one game this season. Manu has been a healthy scratch every week, as the Lions have committed to him having a "redshirt" year. Jones has primarily started at right guard in his career, but he has played left tackle a bit.
Sewell has had two of his three worst single-game PFF grades in games where he filled in for Decker at left tackle. So that move is not a seamless, automatically perfect scenario.
Skipper could replace Decker at left tackle to keep Sewell at his usual spot. Sorsdal might be a viable option to step in at right tackle, if he had been in uniform more than once so far this seaso
There is an easy and obvious answer to how the Lions will replace Decker on Sunday night. No other option seems very viable.
Sewell would move over to left tackle, with Skipper stepping in to start at right tackle. We'll find out it that's what happens, and Jones could be elevated from the practice squad later on Saturday to be a depth piece with some
