Tyrell Crosby is in line to make the first start of his NFL career Sunday at right tackle, but Detroit Lions offensive line coach Jeff\u2026<\/b>
\nTyrell Crosby is in line to make the first start of his NFL career Sunday at right tackle, but Detroit Lions offensive line coach Jeff Davidson said it\u2019s too early to tell whether Crosby\u2019s future is at guard or tackle \u2014 or on the left or right side of the line.
\u201cI see him as an offensive lineman,\u201d Davidson said earlier this week. \u201cI like the fact that he\u2019d be willing to go in anywhere that we put him, and the more guys that we can develop with that trait, the better off we\u2019re going to be.\u201d
Crosby played both left and right tackle in college at Oregon, but some talent evaluators pegged him as an interior lineman heading into April\u2019s draft.
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He has served primarily as the Lions\u2019 backup swing tackle this year, and saw his most extensive action of the season in last week\u2019s 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals after right tackle Rick Wagner left with a concussion.
Wagner has not yet practiced this week, and Crosby is his likely replacement for Sunday\u2019s game against the Buffalo Bills.
\u201cHe\u2019s a guy that really for me in watching him through the course of the season (I\u2019ve seen him) develop and become a professional and understand what it takes week in and week out to prepare and be ready to go,\u201d Lions coach Matt Patricia said. \u201cI just have been impressed with his ability to kind of grow through the course of the season.\u201d
Davidson said the Lions have used Crosby at guard some in practice, and given the makeup of the Lions\u2019 offensive line, it\u2019s not unrealistic to think he could compete for a starting job somewhere up front next fall.
The Lions have all five of their starting offensive linemen under contract for 2019, but right guard T. J. Lang, on injured reserve with a neck injury, is not expected back at his current salary. Kenny Wiggins, who\u2019s started five straight games in Lang\u2019s place, also is under contract for 2019.
At tackle, the Lions control both Wagner and left tackle Taylor Decker through at least the 2020 seasons, but could open the right tackle spot to competition next year. Decker is eligible for a contract extension starting in the spring.
\u201c(What he\u2019s done behind) closed doors I\u2019ll leave behind closed doors, quite honestly,\u201d Davidson said of Crosby. \u201cBut he has made progress. I think the guy, No. 1, he has a very high care about his job.\u2026 He has a pro style of going about business. Each day, he wants to find a way to get better and that\u2019s what we ask of those guys.\u201d
Crosby played 35 of a possible 60 offensive snaps last week against the Cardinals and more than held his own with his play.
He allowed two pressures but no sacks, and helped clear the way for 122 yards on the ground, the Lions‘ third best rushing day of the year.
\u201cSometimes (as a backup), you necessarily may not get as many reps through the course of the week as you\u2019d like, but you have to be ready to go,\u201d Patricia said. \u201cAnd when those opportunities come up that you have to go in and play, I feel confident that he\u2019s done everything possible to prepare himself to go do that. I just think his ability to prepare week in, week out and be in multiple roles and potential situations depending on how the game goes is something, for me, that you really need as a coach to rely on players to do that, and he\u2019s someone from that standpoint that has impressed me from that facet.\u201d
Wagner and four other Lions missed practice Thursday: Running back Kerryon Johnson (knee), wide receiver Bruce Ellington (hamstring), defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand (knee) and special-teams ace Charles Washington (hamstring). The Lions could be without all five players against the Bills.
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Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
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