The Detroit Lions built their 53-man roster with an emphasis on depth this season and it meant that some familiar faces had to go. One of the biggest surprises in the hours leading up to the deadline was the decision to cut offensive tackle Dan Skipper, who had become a leader in the locker room and a fan favorite in Detroit.
The Lions were fortunate enough to add Skipper to the practice squad, and he remained in the building in case another wave of injuries struck. But it didn’t last long for that to be the case, as a season-ending injury to offensive tackle Jamarco Jones has made Skipper even more important to the Lions’ plans.
Dan Skipper Must Rise to the Challenge After Jamarco Jones’s Injury
According to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that offensive tackle Jamarco Jones has a season-ending ankle injury. Jones, who was placed on injured reserve on Saturday, was slated to fill a depth role for Detroit behind offensive tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell, but now gives the role to Skipper, who could see a slightly bigger role than the one he was ticketed for.
Skipper has been a journeyman during his career, playing for seven different teams, including three different stints with the Lions. His time in Detroit has made him somewhat of a cult hero, as he was a figure involved in a controversial play in Dallas toward the end of the 2023 season and went viral for puking during a Campbell speech late last season.
While every time he reports eligible draws, he cheers from the crowd at Ford Field, he could be seeing more action in the wake of Jones’s injury. Lions 2024 fourth-round pick Giovanni Manu is the primary backup at tackle, but Skipper could find his way onto the field if multiple injuries strike in the trenches. The Lions are also dealing with a rough debut for rookie Tate Ratledge at guard, which could throw the entire offensive line out of sorts.
It’s probable that the Lions would make a move to bring in a player before relying on Skipper in a starting role. But the latest shift puts him another injury away from being in the starting lineup. It puts more on the veteran’s plate as the season rolls along and could take another turn as the Lions host former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears in Week 2.