With Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker questionable to play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears after missing three practices with a shoulder injury, the Lions may have to turn to developmental second-year tackle Giovanni Manu to protect Jared Goff’s blind side.
The Lions drafted Manu in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, knowing that the University of British Columbia product would take some time to develop. Manu had all the physical tools to be an NFL product—including 6-foot-7, 350-pound size and incredible agility for a player of that size—but given the level of play in college, the fine-tuned skills would need to be taught over years, not months.
With primary backup Jamarco Jones out for the year, and practice squad veteran Dan Skipper dealing with an injury of his own, the Lions may be forced to put Manu out there in Week 2. That’s just a week after Manu made his first NFL appearance as the Lions’ backup swing tackle against the Packers.
Last week, Manu played in just three special teams snaps. But it was an opportunity to get in his NFL moment of reflection. At first, he was too locked in to realize the gravity of the moment. But then assistant offensive line coach Steve Oliver pulled him aside and reminded him that he was living out his NFL dream. Then it all started to sink in: all the hard work and improbable odds of going from being born in Tonga, playing college ball in Canada, to making it to the NFL—and debuting on the hallowed grounds of Lambeau Field.
“I did kinda have to pinch myself at first, but when I took this thing seriously, I expected it. So, I just gotta keep grinding, keep going,” Manu said.
But with that moment of reflection now aside, Manu believes he’s ready should his name be called against the Bears.
“Oh, I’m totally prepared, and that’s a huge thank you to Steve and (OL coach) Hank (Fraley),” Manu said. “I’ve worked countlessly with them before practice, even after practice. “Steve told me after practice today that he thought I had one of my best weeks of practice. I told him, ‘Because I’m ready.’ I told him, ‘If my number is ever called on, you guys don’t need to stress. Trust me. This is everything I’ve prayed for.’ Yeah, if my number is called, I’m going to go in there and you guys will see.”
It’s unclear when the Lions will make their decision with Decker. Head coach Dan Campbell noted that a veteran like him doesn’t need to practice in order to play, as long as he’s physically okay. But at the same time, they need to keep the long-term season outlook in mind, too.
Either way, Manu is preparing the same.
“I go into every game prepared to play. So my mentality is I’m playing,” Manu said. “Even if he’s up, these things–sometimes you don’t even know until game time, right? So, kickoff, all of a sudden, you hear, ‘He’s down.’ So, in my head right now is that I’m playing. So until I hear otherwise, that’s the way I approach it.”
And as if Manu needed any more motivation for this week, but playing against another divisional opponent in the comfort of Ford Field? Let’s just say he’s excited and ready.
“Hell yeah. Against a divisional opponent? Hell yeah!”
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