The Detroit Lions are getting healthier on the defensive side of the ball, but are now getting hit with injuries on offense. The Week 9 loss against the Minnesota Vikings not only hurt them in the standings, but they also lost several key contributors. Christian Mahogany will be sidelined for a long time, and Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell are dealing with injuries ahead of the Week 10 clash against the Commanders.
Decker and Sewell both received treatment during the game on Sunday. Decker briefly left the game with a knee injury, and Sewell had an upper-body concern that had him go to the locker room before returning to action. Head coach Dan Campbell said that he doesn't expect either of them to practice on Wednesday, putting their status against the Commanders in jeopardy. Yet, Campbell was generally optimistic about his two offensive tackles' return to action sooner rather than later, according to Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman.
Regardless of Decker and Sewell's availability, the Lions will be making significant changes to their starting group. Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press revealed what Campbell said in his radio appearance on Tuesday, teasing a shake-up on the offensive line.
Lions Are Considering O-Line Changes After New Wave of Injuries
Campbell is thinking about moving Graham Glasgow to left guard, where he played all of last season. At center, Trystan Colon or Kingsley Eguakun, who is currently on the practice squad, are two players Campbell is considering to start.
Colon is far more proven and experienced than Eguakun. He has played significant snaps at center earlier in his career, before spending most of his time at guard in his last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. When the Lions signed the veteran in the offseason, Colon was thought of as a backup center after Frank Ragnow's retirement. He should be considered the favorite to get the start on Sunday if Campbell is indeed thinking about moving Glasgow to left guard.
Another option would be to keep Glasgow at center, and have Kayode Awosika or Colon replace Mahogany at left guard. One option Campbell is apparently not considering, however, is to have Tate Ratledge at center. Per Reisman, the Lions want the rookie to exclusively play guard at this stage of his career.
These decisions could be further complicated if Sewell or Decker misses time. Dan Skipper is the natural next man up at both left and right tackle. Depending on their statuses, Lions fans could see an entirely different alignment and personnel on the offensive line in Week 10. Let's hope that the Lions' offense still finds a way to bounce back after a disappointing showing against the Vikings.