For years, left tackle Taylor Decker excelled as Jared Goff's blindside protector. While not a superstar by any means, the Detroit Lions knew they could trust him to take care of business opposite Penei Sewell.
That's why losing him might've been such a big blow to their plans. His request for a release forced the Lions to take Blake Miller in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and they may now have to move Sewell to the left.
However, it seems like he got the short end of the stick. He may have misread his market, as he's still a free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft. Considering that, Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network predicted he would sign with the Miami Dolphins.
Taylor Decker Might Join the Miami Dolphins
"Taylor Decker’s grading by PFSN’s OL Impact Scoring has been in average starter territory each of the last two seasons, which makes sense why the Lions cut him to free cap space with his hefty contract. He would still be an upgrade at left tackle over a handful of teams across the NFL," Infante wrote.
The Dolphins have Patrick Paul and Braeden Daniels at left tackle right now, with rookie Kadyn Proctor as another candidate to start at either guard or tackle spot. As such, it would make sense to sign a veteran placeholder like Decker to give Malik Willis some steady protection.
Spotrac projects Decker's market value at $21.3 million a year. That said, it's hard to believe any team will meet his financial aspirations at this point in the offseason, though the Dolphins might be desperate enough to outbid other suitors for his services -- which might not be many.
Decker requested to be released as he couldn't agree to a new deal with the team. Now, he's likely to play for a bottom-feeding team with no postseason aspirations while making less money than he would've gotten had he stayed in Detroit.
Betting on yourself isn't for everybody, and it looks like this just wasn't a good year for a veteran left tackle to test the market. Nine teams took offensive linemen in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and however little leverage Decker may have had in negotiations vanished right before his eyes.
Now, he's stuck between a rock and a hard place, and unless someone suffers a major injury during training camp, his only path back to the league will be to join a struggling team like the Dolphins. Yikes.
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