Detroit Lions: Taylor Decker has shoulder surgery following OTA injury

Most offseason injuries aren’t a big deal because the season is still months away, but the Detroit Lions suffered a potentially big one.

Taylor Decker quickly emerged as a cornerstone of the Detroit Lions offensive line during his rookie season last year. With the left tackle spot seemingly locked down for the next decade, the Lions went about the business of solidifying other parts of the line with big free agent signings of Rick Wagner at right tackle and T.J. Lang at right guard.

There is no change in Decker’s status in the long term, but the short term looks a little different with news that he suffered a shoulder injury during OTA practice last week. Decker had surgery yesterday.

With three months still to go before the Lions take the field in week one, most injuries this time of year aren’t cause for concern. A tweaked ankle or pulled hamstring just mean some missed reps that a veteran player may not even really need. But a shoulder injury that requires surgery? That could be a problem.

Not surprisingly, head coach Jim Caldwell was noncommittal about providing much in the way of details. It is not known just how bad of an injury this was, although requiring surgery is never good. It would have been one thing to have a shoulder surgery following last season – as Ndamukong Suh did after his rookie season – which would have left plenty of time for recovery. But a new injury in early June may mean a delayed start to Decker’s second season.

Caldwell wouldn’t put a timetable on the recovery, although he did at least say he didn’t think it was a season-ending injury.

Just because it may not cost Decker the season doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t cost him, and the Lions, a significant portion of it. The NFL has expanded the return from injured reserve rules to allow teams to bring back two players from IR during the season. Decker could be a candidate for one of those spots if the injury requires a timetable beyond what can be covered by the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.

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With Decker out, Wagner is expected to remain at right tackle, with Joe Dahl, Corey Robinson and Cornelius Lucas options to fill in at left tackle.