The Detroit Lions were without a key presence during Sunday's 37-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Starting left tackle Taylor Decker was a last-minute scratch with a shoulder injury after missing practice throughout the week. The Lions were hopeful that the veteran blocker could suit up, but he couldn't, leaving second-year tackle Giovanni Manu to take his spot.
With Decker being an offensive line mainstay, Lions fans eagerly awaited head coach Dan Campbell's update on the Pro Bowl blocker. Unfortunately, the latest news isn't exactly confidence-inducing.
"He has not quite been able to catch up to — we feel like there's been diminishing returns every week," Campbell said after the game, according to The Detroit News' Nolan Bianchi. No matter how it's sliced, that isn't something any fan wants to hear from the Lions HC.
Dan Campbell Shares a Concerning Taylor Decker Injury Update
Although Decker's slow start to the season has been alarming, so is the fact that the Lions aren't even sure about a recovery timetable. Per Bianchi, Campbell also told reporters that his No. 1 LT could miss Week 6's clash against the Kansas City Chiefs, while the Lions are "gonna look at everything" they can to get him back on the field.
The experience isn't anything new for Lions fans, as Decker has dealt with shoulder-related injuries throughout his career, including when he started the 2017 campaign on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. His current issue has forced him to miss the majority of practices since Week 2, and it's gotten to the point where one has to wonder about how many games he'll end up playing.
Decker's injury has prevented him from being a reliable blocker, proven by his career-worst 63.6 overall grade on Pro Football Focus. His 63.1 pass protection grade is far below last year's Pro Bowl performance (78.0), as he's already surrendered 10 quarterback pressures.
Conversely, Decker's injury-plagued performance is still better than what Lions fans saw from Manu on Sunday. The young lineman struggled to provide quarterback Jared Goff with adequate protection, making it clear that he isn't ready for the spotlight, which further highlights how badly Detroit needs Decker to get healthy.
Hopefully, the Lions get some good news on Decker in the coming days. The Chiefs' pass rush might not be anything special this season, but that doesn't change the fact that beating the Super Bowl runners-up will be tougher if Manu is back in a starting role.