Detroit Lions: Greg Robinson, Cyrus Kouandjio will compete at left tackle

New Detroit Lions acquisitions Greg Robinson and Cyrus Kouandjio will immediately step in and compete for the team’s starting left tackle role.

In the aftermath of the news that Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker will be out for four to six months following a torn labrum, the team has moved quickly to address the position.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Lions general manager Bob Quinn dealt a 2018 sixth-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams for tackle Greg Robinson on the same day the team also signed talented free agent lineman Cyrus Kouandjio.

Robinson, the second overall selection of the 2014 NFL Draft, was a highly-touted prospect, but the former Auburn Tiger never met his potential with the Rams. Although the 24-year old was at one time considered the team’s left tackle of the future, those plans were abandoned when the franchise recently moved him to the right side during the offseason.

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However, the move didn’t appear to work out during OTAs. In fact, per ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, Robinson had completely lost his chance at the starting job to Jamon Brown, and thus he became expendable. Robinson has one year remaining on his rookie contract and will now have the opportunity to get his career on track in a new location.

Kouandjio, on the other hand, was a Buffalo Bills second-round pick in the very same 2014 Draft. After starting five games at left tackle for the Bills in 2016, the team released him back in May. While he visited the Lions last week and left without a contract, it’s clear that Quinn was impressed enough to bring him into the mix.

Kouandjio has been prone to injuries during his career and is currently on the mend from hip surgery, but the talent is there and at only 23, he still has considerable upside as a professional. While he doesn’t carry the distinction of being a top-five pick, the former Alabama star may be the more likely candidate for a significant role in 2017.

And a significant role is exactly what the team needs to fill. Per Tim Twentyman, head coach Jim Caldwell revealed that both of the new additions will compete for the left tackle job that Decker had locked down prior to his injury:

Without question, left tackle is such an important position that the team had to make moves such as these in order to remain competitive this season. Decker is one of the game’s emerging young lineman talents, and his quality play in 2016 helped quarterback Matthew Stafford enjoy one of the finest seasons of his career.

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The timetable for his return could fluctuate, but Decker is certain to be sidelined for a portion of the season and if his recovery takes a full six months, he will miss the majority of the campaign. Clearly, the Lions were smart to take a proactive approach to finding a potential replacement.

While initial reports indicated that the team was likely to turn to in-house candidates like Joe Dahl, Cornelius Lucas, and Corey Robinson, Quinn has shown a willingness to add players to the rotation, and these recent moves make it clear this is going to be an open competition. Tony Hills was signed last week, and now with Robinson and Kouandjio officially in the equation, the franchise has no shortage of options.

It’s far too soon to project who will be the team’s starting left tackle when Week One rolls around, but the organization is clearly prepared to consider all possibilities. None of these players is likely to fill Decker’s shoes, but the Lions are hopeful that one of them emerges as a a reliable contributor on Stafford’s blindside.

Next: Detroit Lions: Would Eric Decker make sense?

While signings like these might not get the same offseason attention as contract negotiations or mini-camp reports, they are ultimately just as important, as left tackle performance will go a long way to deciding whether the 2017 Detroit Lions season will be remembered as a rousing success or a bitter disappointment.