Detroit Lions' Taylor Decker takes first-team reps; why next 24 hours are key
Taylor Decker took left tackle reps at practice Wednesday for the first time in nearly a month, and the Detroit Lions should know soon whether the veteran offensive lineman will play again this season.
Lions coach Dan Campbell indicated Wednesday the next 24 hours will be key to Decker’s return from the finger injury that has sidelined him since early September.
Decker worked alongside the rest of the Lions’ first-team offensive line during the open portion of practice Wednesday, with rookie Penei Sewell at right tackle. If Decker cannot play Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Lions will need to give Sewell reps at left tackle and Matt Nelson reps on the right side.
Sewell practiced primarily at left tackle when Decker briefly returned to practice for two days last month.
“Look, he’s going to go today and he’s got to prove to us that he can’t,” Campbell said. “As far as we’re concerned, we’re going to go out, man, he’s going to go out there and practice and if he feels good then we’ll see what tomorrow looks like and we’ll just go from there.
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“But I think we also, I know he’s ready to go and I know he wants to get out there and he wants to test it and he wants to use it, but until we test it we’re not going to know. And it’s time to test it. And he’ll know. I think he’ll be able to tell pretty quickly how it feels.”
Decker injured his left index finger four days before the Lions’ season-opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers and reaggravated in on his second day back at practice Oct. 14.
On Wednesday, he practiced with what appeared to be a normal tape job on his left hand.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was complimentary of both Decker and Sewell on a conference call with Detroit reporters Wednesday.
“They need no endorsement from me,” Tomlin said. “They’re top quality players. The rookie was drafted where he was drafted for a reason. His pedigree is ridiculous, his talent is ridiculous, and Decker, man, has been at it for a while, man. He’s a former first-rounder and I think captain of that outfit and so it speaks for itself.”
Running back Jamaal Williams, who did not play in the Lions’ Week 8 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles because of a thigh injury, worked on the side with trainers during the open portion of practice Wednesday.
The Lions returned cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu (quad) and Corey Ballentine (hamstring) to practice from injured reserve. They have 21 days to activate both players to the 53-man roster or shut them down for the rest of the season.
The Lions also re-signed receiver Tom Kennedy to the practice squad.
No Josh Reynolds reunion?
Campbell said he and Lions general manager Brad Holmes have not discussed the possibility of claiming ex-Tennessee Titans receiver Josh Reynolds on waivers.
Reynolds played his first four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where Holmes was director of college scouting and Jared Goff was his quarterback. Reynolds caught 113 passes in four seasons with the Rams and had 10 catches for 90 yards in five games with the Titans this season.
"Honestly, Brad and I haven't even talked about it right now," Campbell said. "That doesn't mean that he hasn't looked at it, but there again, he hasn't brought anything to me at this point. And I know they looked. He looks at all of it, sees all of it. And we did Josh when he was a free agent coming out (this spring). We talked about it. We know the player well. Certainly, Brad knows him even better than I do. That doesn't mean that it's not right now, it just means we haven't talked about it."
The Lions, who have one of the least productive receiving corps in the NFL, have first priority on the waiver wire. On Tuesday, they passed on claiming Odell Beckham Jr.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' Taylor Decker takes first-team reps at LT
