The Detroit Lions training camp is officially underway. Over the next couple of weeks, we will get updates from practices that will help shape the rotation and final roster in Detroit. There will also be unfortunate injuries that will alter the Lions' plans and significantly impact a player's future with the team.
In fact, the first of those came on Thursday. Head coach Dan Campbell provided an injury update on Giovanni Manu that puts his Lions tenure in jeopardy.
Giovanni Manu's extended absence will lead to his eventual Lions exit
Ahead of Thursday's practice, Campbell revealed that Manu had an undisclosed injury over the summer, which popped up again on Day 1 of training camp. He was quickly placed on the non-football injury list. Campbell said that he expects Manu to be out for 12 to 14 weeks, per The Athletic's Colton Pouncy.
This is a devastating development for Manu. The third-year player was already on thin ice entering training camp and had to prove himself to the coaching staff that he deserved a spot on the 53-man roster. Now, the 25-year-old offensive lineman is not only missing crucial practice time, but he will also miss a significant chunk of the season.
Even if we assume that Manu can return in the optimistic range of Campbell's timeline, this puts his return at the end of October. This means that the earliest he can suit up will be in Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers.
We currently don't know the details of the injury, so it would be wrong to speculate on this return timeline. However, Manu needs developmental reps perhaps more than anyone on the team. To think that he could return in the middle of the season and contribute right away would be highly unrealistic.
Fortunately, the Lions don't need to make a decision on Manu right away. They can have him start the season on the NFI list. Once he is ready to return, however, the Lions have to make a determination on whether it's worth opening up a roster spot to activate Manu.
Based on what the former fourth-round pick showed so far in his two years in Detroit, it's hard to argue that the Lions should keep him around. Considering that this injury, regardless of its kind, will set him back further in his development, the 2026 campaign will likely be a lost season for Manu.
Manu was supposed to get second-team reps at left tackle in training camp. If he were to show some improvement, he had a chance to be the backup LT to start the season. Fortunately, the Lions signed Larry Borom this spring, who is more than qualified to be the swing tackle in Detroit.
It's difficult to imagine Manu returning to action mid-season and making an impact for Detroit. It's becoming increasingly unlikely that we will see him in action in a Lions uniform again.
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