While the Detroit Lions' injuries on the defensive side of the ball have understandably received the most attention, they are also banged up on offense ahead of Week 6. Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman reported that Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond (who was working with trainers), Sione Vaki, and Taylor Decker were not seen at practice on Wednesday. While this puts all of their statuses for Sunday at jeopardy, Decker seems like the most likely name to miss the game against the Chiefs.
Decker already missed Week 5 with a lingering shoulder injury he has been dealing with for weeks. Dan Campbell had left the door open for a longer rest and recovery period for the veteran left tackle, and the fact that he is still not practicing suggests that he may miss a second consecutive game.
Detroit's roster moves on Wednesday also make it less likely that Decker will suit up. The Lions announced signing offensive lineman Dan Skipper to the active roster. As the Detroit News' Richard Silva pointed out on X, the starting LT spot will be between Skipper, Giovanni Manu, and Devin Cochran, if Decker indeed is unavailable.
Dan Skipper Is in Line for 1st Start of the Season in Taylor Decker's Absence
This is undoubtedly a positive update for Lions fans. Manu was very disappointing in his first start ever as a Lion last week, giving up two sacks, one of which resulted in a fumble. He received a miserable 17.5 pas block grade on Pro Football Focus. The organization is seemingly still very invested in Manu, but starting him may not give them the best chance at winning football games.
Skipper, is a more experienced and proven contributor. He started five games at left tackle last season for the Lions, and has been used all over the offensive line in times of emergency over the years. In his fourth stint with the organization, Skip understands what Dan Campbell wants from him and is very familiar with the offensive system.
Last season, after the game against the Packers where the Lions clinched a playoff berth with a win, Skipper was seen vomiting in the locker room, drawing Campbell's attention during his speech, with a "there you go, Skip, keep throwing up," representing the gritty mindset the Lions have embodied in the Dan Campbell era. A week later, Skipper scored his first career receiving touchdown against the Bills, further cementing his status as a fan favorite in Detroit.
Lions fans won't be expecting a touchdown from him this time around. All they need from Skipper is to be better than what Manu gave them last week, and that shouldn't be too difficult a challenge for the 31-year-old.