Allen Park — Taylor Decker’s season isn’t over.
The Detroit Lions pushed the decision up to the deadline, but opted to activate the team’s starting left tackle off injured reserve on Tuesday, along with defensive lineman Kevin Strong.
Decker has been sidelined the entire season after requiring surgery on the finger he injured during the week of practice leading up to the season opener.
Both Decker and Strong, who had been on IR with a thigh injury, returned to practice on Oct. 13, starting the 21-day window where the Lions had to decide whether to activate them or shut them down for the season.
With Decker sidelined, the team shifted rookie Penei Sewell from right tackle to left, the position he played in college. And while the first-round draft pick went through some early struggles during the first eight games of the season — allowing four sacks and drawing six penalty flags — his performance has noticeably turned the corner in recent weeks.
Right tackle has been manned by former defensive lineman Matt Nelson. In his third season, he had played just 241 offensive snaps as an offensive tackle prior to this year. Not surprisingly, he’s struggled, allowing a league-high 34 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
It won’t be clear until the team comes back from its bye next week whether Decker will be ready to return to the field or will need more time to heal from his injury. He suffered a setback his first week back at practice and hasn’t been a participant since Oct. 14.
Once he’s fully cleared, the team will then have to answer the question who will play left tackle. Decker has never played another position during his six-year pro career, starting 71 games for the Lions since being drafted in the first round out of Ohio State in 2016.
Sewell, meanwhile, struggled during the preseason with the transition to right tackle. But he also similarly battled through some bumps at left tackle once the season started. The coaching staff has continually expressed confidence he’ll adapt and be equally effective on the right side, if that’s where they ultimately decide to keep him.
Sewell has also previously said he expects to return to right tackle once Decker was cleared to return.
Decker has been largely durable during his career, missing nine games prior to this season, including eight to start the 2017 campaign when he suffered a shoulder injury during the offseason program. He had started 55 of the past 56 and was coming off his best season before the finger injury.
The Lions signed Decker to a contract extension last offseason, a four-year pact that kicked in this season worth up to $60 million with $42.1 million guaranteed.
As for Strong, the Lions’ defensive line room is suddenly crowded. The team welcomed back Da’Shawn Hand from injured reserve on Sunday. Those two join veterans Michael Brockers and Nick Williams, as well as rookies Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike and second-year pro Jashon Cornell.
To clear the necessary roster space to fit both Decker and Strong, the Lions waived rookie offensive lineman Tommy Kraemer.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers