Regular starting left tackle Taylor Decker is eligible to come off the Detroit Lions injured reserve list this week. But hopes of a quick return to the lineup by Decker were all but extinguished by Lions coach Dan Campbell.
The head coach fielded a question about Decker’s availability for the Week 4 matchup with the Chicago Bears during his press conference on Monday. His answer pretty much rules out Decker for the trip to Chicago.
“I would say as of right now, no. We don’t expect him back,” Campbell said. I can’t totally rule him out, but I would say it would be very slim for him to be back.”
Decker has been out since injuring a finger in the practices leading into Week 1. Rookie Penei Sewell moved from right tackle to the left side to fill in for Decker, while Matt Nelson took over as the right tackle. There has been considerable speculation about leaving Sewell at left tackle and forcing Decker to move to the right side when he returns, but Campbell deferred and downplayed that decision.
“No. We’ll wait for Decker to get back before we decide what to do with that.”