Detroit Lions injury report: Taylor Decker, Desmond Trufant questionable vs. Colts

Detroit Free Press

Dave Birkett
 
| Detroit Free Press

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The Detroit Lions are dealing with another injury on their offensive line.

Left tackle Taylor Decker suffered a shoulder injury in practice Thursday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Decker, who was pulled from a scheduled media availability Thursday, was officially a non-participant in practice Friday. He stood apart from the offensive line during the open portion of the workout, but at one point appeared to take his regular spot with the rest of the starting unit.

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If Decker cannot play Sunday, Tyrell Crosby will start at left tackle, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai will move from right guard to right tackle.

Vaitai signed a five-year deal in free agency to be the Lions’ right tackle, but has played exclusively at guard after missing the first two games of the season with a foot injury.

Joe Dahl, who lost his starting job to a groin injury after Week 1, would return to left guard if Decker does not play, with Jonah Jackson shifting to right guard. Dahl did not play an offensive snap in last week’s win over the Atlanta Falcons, which offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell attributed to the team’s depth up front.

The Lions have started three different combinations on their line already this season.

“We’re in a good spot where we have depth at those positions,” Bevell said. “And I know you guys ask the questions the other way a lot of times in terms of why are we getting all those guys in there, what’s the mixture of them? And that’s something that we’re constantly evaluating, trying to get the best guys in there, giving those guys that deserve opportunities to play opportunities. Joe’s one of those guys.”

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Along with Decker, who missed the first half of the 2017 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, cornerbacks Darryl Roberts (groin/hip) and Desmond Trufant (hamstring) and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (personal) are questionable to play.

The Lions are expected to activate slot cornerback Justin Coleman off injured reserve in time for Sunday’s game. Trufant, who has not played since a Week 4 loss to the New Orleans Saints, participated sparingly in the open portion of practice Friday and likely will need another week before returning.

The Lions, 0-2 at Ford Field this season, are looking for their first home win in more than a year, since Oct. 27, 2019 against the New York Giants.

READ: Why has Lions’ defense improved? Because ‘everybody doing their damn job’

“I think for us, it’s about this week,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said. “Again, just stay in the moment. Let’s just try to do a great job this week and let’s make sure that we’re doing everything we can to give ourselves a chance to win. That’s really our focus right now is just how do we improve this week? How do we go play well? Obviously, we’ve got a great team with the Colts, so of course it’s, you’re at home, you want to do well at home. So that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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