The Detroit Lions were thrown a curveball earlier this month when starting left tackle Taylor Decker announced on Instagram that the franchise had asked him to take a pay cut. This subsequently led to Decker requesting his release, and Detroit granting his wishes.
The Lions likely didn’t have Decker’s release in the cards, especially since the veteran tackle announced on social media at the end of February that he’d be returning for his 11th season in the Motor City.
Since his sudden departure from Detroit, Decker hasn’t received much interest on the free agent market. Meanwhile, the Lions signed veteran tackle Larry Borom to a one-year deal, who is a Detroit native and could find himself in the starting lineup.
That being said, we finally got some clarity on the Decker situation from general manager Brad Holmes. Holmes was asked about the veteran lineman in an interview with the Lions Collective and if there have been any talks with his camp. Surprisingly, Holmes didn’t close the door on a possible reunion.
Taylor Decker's Return Seemingly Not in Cards for Lions at This Time
“Look, I'll never say never. I've learned that a lot in this business, but no, there hasn't been any recent dialogue,” Holmes said, via William Burchfield of 97.1 The Ticket.
The fact that Holmes didn’t shut down the idea and even went out of his way to praise Decker about how he’s become a fan favorite and his presence in the locker room is telling.
""Again, he's been a really good player for our franchise for a really long time, so he's going to be missed. I know the fans are going to miss him. The locker room is going to miss him, Holmes said to the Lions Collective. But unfortunately, those are the kind of difficult decisions that have to be made at times, but we wish him nothing but the best. I know that he was a favorite. He always has been, and just wish him the best of luck going forward.""GM Brad Holmes
However, Holmes likely has a number in mind and isn’t willing to budge. At the same time, the veteran offensive lineman isn’t going to budge on his price, hence why he’s probably still sitting in free agency, as Rasheed Walker and Jedrick Wills Jr. have signed deals.
Spotrac projects the ex-Lion’s calculated market value as a two-year, $42.6 million deal ($21.3 million AAV). At this stage of free agency, Decker will not get that type of deal. Most teams are looking to sign one-year deals and start preparing for the NFL draft.
The Lions are one of those teams that could use the draft to find a solution at left tackle. While they do have Borom on a one-year deal, he’s better off as a swing tackle, rather than a full-time starter.
Depending on which mock draft you look at, they have Detroit taking Monroe Freeling or Kadyn Proctor at No. 17 overall. If that does end up happening, the idea of Decker coming back as a last-ditch effort is gone out of the window.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how the next few weeks shape out for the Lions. While they could use a rookie pass rusher, they have a pressing need to add a young star to protect Jared Goff’s blindside. Meanwhile, Decker may have to settle for a one-year deal somewhere, depending on how the draft shakes out.