The Detroit Lions' postseason dreams were crushed on Thursday Night Football with a 23-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. There's plenty of blame to go around, with the defensive woes under Kelvin Sheppard, particularly the run, deserving scrutiny. But the offense has been a mess the last few weeks, and Jared Goff is not totally to blame.
Goff has regressed from the early parts of the season and last year, clearly proving he's not a transcendent quarterback who can overcome his offense's shortcomings. But those shortcomings are almost all a product of poor offensive line play. The OL needs a facelift, even if it costs the team fan-favorites like Dan Skipper.
Skipper, a left tackle by trade because of Taylor Decker's absence, but someone who played all along the line last year, is a symbol of the team's protection regression. After frequently finding the field last year, since the Lions had the fourth-most plays with six OL on the field (74), Skipper has barely seen the field this year.
Evidently, there was a reason. Against the Vikings on Christmas Day, Skipper allowed five pressures in his first 20-snap appearance since Week 1. Skipper was frequently overmatched, quite literally getting run over by Viking trench defenders several times. It was noticeable on the broadcast.
Lions Should Let Dan Skipper Walk This Offseason
The feel-good Skipper story was endearing when Detroit was a playoff team. Now? It's an annoyance, since weak OL play is anything but endearing.
The Lions are in a continuous bidding war with themselves for Skipper. It's why he keeps signing one-year contracts to remain in the Motor City. Skipper has signed four straight one-year pacts since the 2022 season.
Do they sign Skipper to one more? It's hard to justify after the backlash from his latest performance. Since strong offensive line play hinges on the unit playing together, now is the time to wipe the slate clean and clear the books of the current group.
Graham Glasgow and Decker are potential cap casualties this offseason. Even if it'd be a tough decision, after Skipper became somewhat of a hero after the team's controversial 20-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the final week of 2023, forcing the 32-year-old to find a new home, or a new career, may be the best way for this team to start rebuilding its OL.