Lions place Taylor Decker on IR after finger surgery

Taylor Decker is expected to return in about a month. Detroit Free Press-USA TODAY NET

Lions place LT Taylor Decker on injured reserve after finger surgery

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 9/11/21

The Detroit Lions are placing left tackle Taylor Decker on injured reserve after finger surgery, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He is expected to return in about a month.

The #Lions are placing star LT Taylor Decker on Injured Reserve after finger surgery, source said. He should be back after a month or so. But big loss initially.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 11, 2021

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Friday that Decker would be "down for a little bit" after suffering the finger injury during practice.

Decker is entering his sixth season in Detroit and has started 71 games for the franchise. The Lions selected him 16th overall in 2016.

With the Ohio St. product sidelined, 2021 seventh overall pick Penei Sewell could be shifted to left tackle. Sewell had been playing right tackle since the spring, but told reporters Friday he started taking snaps on the left side when Decker was ruled out earlier this week.

Sewell played left tackle in college for the Oregon Ducks. However, he struggled during the preseason and will face an even more formidable challenge against Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers this weekend.

More must-reads: