The Detroit Lions took one of their biggest risks of the offseason when they decided to release Taylor Decker last month. Decker was a stalwart of the Lions’ offensive line for a decade, but the decision to release him put a big hole on Jared Goff’s blind side and came with the question of “What’s next?”
The Lions have mitigated some of that risk by using the money that would have been paid to Decker to sign several free agents. Detroit is also planning to move Penei Sewell to left tackle, which would put less pressure on filling his shoes. But the biggest risk has been the possibility that Decker could use his spite and turn it into a sudden defection to a division rival.
Thankfully for the Lions, that doesn’t sound like it’s going to happen. Appearing on an episode of the Lions Collective podcast, Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network noted that while Decker wants “to play for a winner,” the odds of him throwing on a uniform for the Green Bay Packers or Chicago Bears next fall are pretty slim.
“I will tell you that he’s pretty anti-playing for the Bears or Packers,” Rogers said. “That’s the Lions background in him. I know Ben Johnson did it and that was the right situation for him, but Taylor feels kind of dirty about the idea. It just isn’t interesting to him. I could see him joining a team mid-season, the further he gets away from football and games being played, injuries happening and the right offer occurs. I could also see him not playing.”
Taylor Decker Has No Interest in Playing for Bears or Packers After Lions Release
Lions fans may think that Decker joining the Bears or Packers would be a little weird. But there is a realistic path to all parties being interested.Â
The Bears are currently having a competition at left tackle after Ozzy Trapilo tore his patellar tendon during last year’s playoffs. While Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills, and Theo Benedet are currently in line for the competition, Decker would become the favorite thanks to his track record and a potential reunion with Ben Johnson, who was on Detroit’s staff from 2019 to 2024, including a three-year stint as the Lions’ offensive coordinator from 2022 through his departure from the Motor City.
The Packers’ left tackle position is also worthy of outside help. Three-year starter Rasheed Walker left Green Bay for the Carolina Panthers in free agency, and their current plan is to start Jordan Morgan in his place. But despite returning to his natural position, the Packers’ 2024 first-round pick hasn’t looked great in the NFL. If Morgan struggles during the offseason program or during the regular season, it could also lead the front office to pick up the phone.
Of course, either scenario comes down to Decker. The 32-year-old has a right to feel slighted after deciding to return for an 11th season, only for the Lions to ask him to take a pay cut. It also probably stings that the Lions have not communicated with Decker since his release, and most veterans in that situation would look for a divisional rival to get a couple of chances to play against their former team. However, Rogers’s comments make it seem as though Decker still has a sense of loyalty to the Lions even if he believes the team did him wrong.
This could play out in many ways. If Decker is waiting for a winner, he could find another team to play for and be out of the Lions’ hair for good (unless he signs with an NFC contender). It could also give the Lions an “in case of emergency” lever if Larry Borom or a draft pick fails to excel at right tackle and Decker is still looking for a job when the season begins.
Whatever Decker’s next move is, it appears it will not be within the NFC North. That’s something that can ease a little bit of the risk by letting him go and perhaps help them vault back to the playoffs in 2026.