Taylor Decker will miss Sunday’s Lions opener due to an injury he suffered in practice this week. The Lions ruled out their longtime left tackle for Sunday’s game against the 49ers.
The sixth-year blocker suffered a hand injury during Wednesday’s workout. The Lions have not placed Decker on IR, which would sideline him for the season’s first three games, but their line will be weakened in Week 1. Decker met with doctors Friday, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com notes.
This setback appears set to slide No. 7 overall pick Penei Sewell to left tackle. The rookie was to transition to a right tackle role with the Lions, despite having lined up on the left side at Oregon, but the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett notes Sewell has primarily worked as the team’s first-string left tackle in practice since Decker’s injury (Twitter link). The team is not planning a long-term switch, with Decker expected to retake his usual job once he returns to full strength.
Decker, 28, has missed just one game over the past three seasons. He has been Detroit’s left tackle starter since arriving as a first-round pick in 2016. It will be interesting to see how Sewell, 20, fares at his former position against the 49ers’ collection of edge rushers, after experiencing some acclimation issues at right tackle during the preseason.
“longtime” but only a 6-year vet lol
Six year starter is not short for an NFL team. Weird to nitpick this.
Not the news we want to hear early in Detroit.
No kidding! What are they going to do for right tackle? Slide Vaitai out there? Then Nelson at RG?
Oh God I hope not. It would be nice to see Stenberg get some work. Dude has some nastiness in him.
Keep the albatross Vaitai at RG. Place Matt Nelson at RT is what I personally would be happier with.
From what was reported on another site and I don’t disagree but move Sewell to LT, Vaitai to RT and Stenberg to RG. I don’t see the biggest issue with that.
The issue is that Vaitai sucks at tackle. This team will be better off once they shed his ridiculous contract.