The Detroit Lions would've gladly kept Taylor Decker in town for a little longer, with Penei Sewell still on the right side of the offensive line and some more time to find their blindside protector of the future.
Decker wanted a bigger payday, so he essentially forced his way out of Detroit. Clearly, he and his camp had quite different views and projections about his market value, as it's been months and it's nothing but crickets.
With the NFL Draft, rookie minicamp, OTAs, and minicamp already in the rearview mirror, Decker remains unsigned. And now that the Lions have moved on, he might be regretting the way he dealt with this situation.
Taylor Decker may not get a new deal this offseason
Decker thought he had to be paid top-dollar. However, even though left tackles usually make premium bucks, he wasn't considered a higher-echelon guy at the position. He made the Pro Bowl in 2024, but that was pretty much his only career accolade.
Of course, he wasn't necessarily bad. He was coming off giving up just two sacks and 33 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but a projected market value of $21.3 million made it almost impossible for other teams to even consider making a run at him.
Decker chose the worst possible time to force his way out of the team. This draft class was underwhelming at most positions, but it was absolutely stacked at offensive tackle, giving multiple needy teams the young players they needed to rebuild their offensive line.
It even gave the Lions a chance to get their hands on Blake Miller, who, despite still being quite raw and potentially needing a year to establish himself as a full-time player, has a bright future opposite Sewell.
The Lions had the best right tackle in the game, and asking him to move to the other side of the line and adapt to playing left tackle is a big sacrifice. Then again, if someone can do it, that's definitely Penei Sewell.
As for Taylor Decker, it looks like only an injury or terrible OT play can save him at this point, and he may have to wait until the start of the season for that. Of course, making top dollar is out of the question, and he might be wondering whether he made the right call when he asked to be released.
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