Manu on the NFI list is one more thing the Lions' offensive line doesn't need right now

Giovanni Manu landing on the Non-Football Injury list after a training camp practice Wednesday is the kind of development that raises more questions than it answers. He practiced, then he was out. The NFI designation means he won't count against the 53-man roster while sidelined, but it also means he can't return until he's cleared — and the timing, right at the start of camp, is about as bad as it gets for a line that was already sorting out its depth.

The Lions have been dealing with roster attrition on multiple fronts this offseason — I've written twice now about the secondary situation — but the offensive line matters in a different, more immediate way. Jared Goff threw for 4,564 yards and 34 touchdowns last season. That production doesn't happen without a pocket to operate from. The depth chart behind the starters at tackle and guard is thin enough that losing a developmental piece before camp has even found its rhythm is a real problem, not a minor inconvenience.

What the Lions have at tackle beyond the starters is largely unproven. Larry Borom, Cade Mays, and Devin Cochran are the names behind the top unit, and none of them have established themselves as reliable swing options at the NFL level. Manu's absence shrinks an already short list. My read is that this is the week to watch the interior and tackle rotations closely — whoever gets first-team reps in Manu's absence is effectively auditioning for a job that matters.

With Goff on an expiring contract and the franchise's offensive identity built around his comfort and rhythm, protecting him isn't a luxury. The secondary situation is urgent. This one is just as quiet and just as real.