ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- He struggled at first and it was expected. The Detroit Lions put Taylor Decker at left tackle as soon as they drafted him in the first round this spring and never moved off of it.

Midway through his first season in the league, it looks as though that plan will work. The Lions needed to upgrade their offensive line in the offseason after Matthew Stafford was sacked again and again the past two years and the run game couldn’t find any holes. So they took Decker, then Graham Glasgow in the third round; the pair now staffs the left side of Detroit’s offensive line.

"He's made strides every single week," Lions coach Jim Caldwell says of rookie left tackle Taylor Decker, right. Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire

And that line seems to be working out. One of the bigger reasons for that has been the progression of Decker protecting Stafford’s blind side.

“Yeah, he’s done well. Obviously just like you said we’re halfway through, but up to this point he’s made strides every single week,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “He’s gotten better, he’s dealt with a number of different styles of rushers.”

In Week 9 against Minnesota, Decker got one of his tougher tests, facing Everson Griffen. And Decker and the offensive line did well, holding the Vikings to just one sack (Griffen got it in overtime), and opening holes for the run. It’s just part of the progression Detroit and Decker have made this season.

It’s something Decker believes has been coming weekly as he sees more varied pass-rushers. There’s also another factor: When Ezekiel Ansah has been healthy, Decker has to deal with him daily in practice. That’s offered a continuous look at how to handle one of the fastest rushers in the NFL.

“Absolutely, yeah. I’ll say it many times, every single week I’m going to see a good pass-rusher, but Griffen is obviously one of the better guys in the league,” Decker said. “It was a big challenge and, you know, that’s what tackles do. We have to come in and play against guys like that.

“So you don’t go out and do anything crazy. You just do what you practice. I practice against a Pro Bowl guy in practice every week. That’s been good for me. While it’s challenging at times, it’s helped me grow.”

So where can Decker grow from here? He’s still a rookie and there are plenty of areas in which he can improve. That’s good for the Lions, since he’s starting to establish himself as the team’s left tackle of the present and future.

Decker has become one of the centerpieces of a young and developing offensive line that has become a surprising strength this season in Detroit.

“I think there’s always going to be things I can improve upon,” Decker said. “I think I’m trending in the right direction and as I get to play more games, I’m just getting more confident with going out there on Sundays and more comfortable with the offense.”