The Detroit Lions have spent the first day of the legal tampering window boosting their offensive line. After agreeing to terms with center Cade Mays earlier on Monday, the Lions added another body to the trenches, agreeing to terms with former Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Larry Borom, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.
The deal can’t become official until the beginning of the league year on Wednesday, but Borom’s signing makes sense. A Detroit native, Borom has appeared in 63 games and made 38 starts between his five seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears, so there is experience here to draw from, and it also makes up for the loss of Taylor Decker, who was granted his release last week.
But the signing also shows the state of desperation the Lions are in with their offensive line and the mess that Decker’s release has created for general manager Brad Holmes.
Taylor Decker’s Release Leaves Lions Scrambling at Left Tackle
The Lions are trying to thread the needle to keep their championship window open in 2026. Contract restructures for stars, including Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown, should get Detroit under the cap before the start of the league year, as they’re currently $6.7 million over, according to Over The Cap. But they also need some money to make additions in free agency and sign their upcoming draft class.
Those numbers are why Decker requested his release, as the two sides couldn’t come to terms on a contract for the upcoming season. But it also left a giant hole at left tackle for a player with 140 starts at left tackle since he was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft.
This hole could have been plugged by the Lions' 2024 fourth-round pick, Giovanni Manu. But a redshirt rookie season and an injury-plagued 2025 campaign have made him a bit of an unknown, opening the door for Borom to come home. While Borom made 11 starts at right tackle for the Dolphins last season, he’s also missed several games due to concussions, knee, and ankle injuries during his career.
This leaves Detroit with a paper-thin margin for error going into next season. While Borom could be counted on to start in a pinch, he’s not impenetrable, allowing 15 pressures and a pair of sacks on 380 pass-blocking snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus. The Lions also could draft an offensive tackle in the first round of this year’s draft, but there’s no guarantee that player would be a plug-and-play option as Detroit owns the No. 17 overall pick.
Perhaps the Lions had concerns about Decker’s shoulder, or they thought his loyalty to the team would allow him to return at a discount. With that chance out the window, the Lions are left scrambling and hoping one of their acquisitions comes through.