The absence of tackle Taylor Decker was felt during the Detroit Lions' 37-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Starting in his place was T Giovanni Manu, a second-year player out of the University of British Columbia. Going up against Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson was never going to be an easy task, even for Decker. Manu's performance was especially rough.
According to Pro Football Focus, Manu posted a pass blocking grade of 17.5 (out of 100). Manu gave up two of the four sacks allowed on quarterback Jared Goff, including a frightening blindside one that briefly stopped the hearts of Lions fans everywhere. Goff hadn't been sacked in the three weeks prior.
After the game, head coach Dan Campbell laid out his thoughts on Manu's "up and down" performance before being asked if Manu would start against the Kansas City Chiefs if Decker can't go.
"We'll see. You know, we're going to look at everything. You know, certainly, (Dan Skipper's) back, you know. So we'll look at Skip. We brought Devin Cochran today. He’s a candidate, and then we’ll see where Decker’s at."
It took a little time in his response, but Campbell did eventually mention Manu, saying, "We’ll do what’s right (with Decker's health) and then next man up. If it’s not him, it’s next man up." Campbell continued, "Whether that is Manu again, we’ll see. Or is it one of those other two guys I just mentioned?"
Being the fourth guy mentioned among possibilities to start against the Chiefs doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement. Manu was clearly put in a difficult position, and getting that real game experience will help his development and growth. With difficult games coming up, it's becoming evident that Campbell isn't going to be taking any chances going forward.
Dan Skipper is back and it might not be long before he starts
On Wednesday, the Lions announced that T Dan Skipper was signed off the practice squad. Skipper was among the training camp cuts in August before quickly re-signing with the practice squad. It's a move that adds a veteran to the OL, while also protecting him from being poached by another OL-needy team.
Skipper has spent the majority of his career with the Lions, first joining the team in 2017. During that stretch, Skipper has had stints with other franchises on their practice squad, but has always come back to the Lions. Skipper has played in 57 games throughout his career, with all but three of them for the Lions. He saw time in all 17 of the Lions' games last season, as well as their lone playoff game, while starting five of those games.
The Lions have yet to announce their plans for LT on Sunday, but Skipper's return paints a clear picture of what that plan may be. Decker will continue to be the "first choice," as Campbell put it, but his health is a concern. With a bye week coming up, it makes sense to rest Decker for these two games to ensure he can be present late in the season. It would certainly make fans uneasy, but it's a lot better than risking a long-term injury that might eventually lead to Manu starting a playoff game before he's ready.
Sunday's game against the Bengals was also evidence that a veteran is necessary to protect Goff's blindside. Manu will likely continue to see time in some capacity and may grow to become someone who can reliably protect that blindside. For now, he's too inexperienced. The Lions need someone who is already familiar with the role of Decker's backup should the need arise.
Skipper's signing does add clarity to the LT position for the time being. He will most likely start on Sunday. The big question that remains is whether or not offensive coordinator John Morton has a trick play ready to keep Skipper's streak of catches going for a third consecutive season.
