Lions roster preview: Will Taylor Decker play 2024 on expiring contract?
As we head toward a new season, All Lions is taking a look at each member of the 53-man roster to recap their 2023-24 season and look ahead to the upcoming campaign. Today, we focus on left tackle Taylor Decker. Check out our past story on Penei Sewell.
The Detroit Lions handed out contract extensions to several members of their core this offseason but the club’s longest-tenured player is still heading into the new season on an expiring deal.
Taylor Decker has been a mainstay on the left side of the Lions' O-line since he was drafted 16th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft and is now a member of perhaps the best offensive line in the entire league.
But Decker, who will turn 31 next month, is entering the final year of his current contract. He noted earlier in the offseason that he and the Lions have had basic talks about a new contract but the sides haven’t yet reached an agreement.
While it’s still possible they could hammer out an extension before the start of the regular season, it’s also very possible that Decker plays his contract out. That wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of his time in Detroit, as the sides could always work something out after the season, but it would allow some uncertainty to linger during the season.
If that ends up happening, it’ll be interesting to see if the uncertainty affects Decker at all. For some players, it seemingly has no impact on their performance; others have big years and set themselves up for a big payday; for some, it can become a distraction and lead to down years.
Decker is also coming off surgery to address foot and ankle problems this offseason and has said he feels great, although his long-term health could be a team concern. For the most part, the 6-foot-7, 320-pound tackle has been pretty durable throughout his career, having played 112 regular-season games over his eight-year career. That’s tied for 21st among all offensive lineman in the NFL since he entered the league.
However, he did miss two games last season with an ankle injury, was sidelined the first eight games of 2021 due to a finger injury and sat out the first eight games in 2017 following shoulder surgery.
That being said, Decker still performs well.
Pro Football Focus rated him as the ninth-best tackle in the NFL last season, giving him a run blocking grade of 73.9, a pass blocking grade of 79.4 and an overall grade of 81.1.
Per PFF, he gave up eight sacks (tied for eighth-most) and 38 pressures while being called for seven penalties (tied for 26th-most) in 1,042 regular-season snaps. That’s actually the most sacks he’s given up in his career and the most pressures he’s surrendered since his rookie season, according to PFF, but his overall performance was still among the best of his career and stacks up well against others in the league.
Will he perform at such a high level over the next several seasons and see those sack and pressure numbers return to his career norms? Or is it a sign that decline could be coming? That’s likely something the Lions are mulling over.
If the Lions want to get a deal done, they have the cap space, with over $34.5 million left heading into this season, per Over the Cap, and $44.5 million in space expected next offseason. As it is, Decker is in line to make $13.7 million this season and carries a $19.1 million cap hit, the seventh-highest in the league for a left tackle.
The question that remains is will a deal happen before the start of the season? If not, could 2024 be Decker’s final season in Detroit?
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker (68) takes the field during introduction before the between Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK