Having spent eight seasons with the Detroit Lions, Taylor Decker has experienced a wide range of experiences. He made the playoffs as a rookie but had to wait until this season for another postseason appearance. Despite being one of the league’s most underappreciated left tackles, he is yet to receive a Pro Bowl selection.
As the offseason begins, contract extension discussions surrounding the Lions primarily revolve around players like Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and potentially Penei Sewell. However, it’s worth noting that Decker, the team’s longest-serving player, is also entering the final year of his contract in 2024. He signed a five-year, $59.65 million deal just before the 2020 season kicked off. Currently, his $19.1 million cap hit for 2024 ranks as the 10th highest among left tackles, according to Spotrac.
Although Decker will be turning 31 in August, he still appears to have several productive years ahead of him. Therefore, signing him to a multi-year contract is unlikely to burden the Lions in the long run.
Taylor Decker makes his intentions for the future absolutely clear
According to recent discussions with Kyle Meinke of MLive, contract negotiations between Decker and the Lions have yet to commence. However, Decker expressed his clear desire to remain with the team as his career enters its later stages.
In an interview with MLive, Decker expressed his strong desire to finish his career with the Lions. He stated, “I definitely want to end my career here. I would say ultimately, for me, this is where I want to be. Of course, you want money, but for me, I like being here. I love being here. I was able to be a part of climbing out of the trenches of it, and it’s been fun the past year-and-a-half to see the flip side of it. Whatever happens with the contract, I don’t know. There’s been nothing of substance with negotiations so far. But ultimately, do I want to be here forever? One-hundred percent. So, we’ll see.” Decker’s remarks highlight his strong attachment to the team and his desire to continue contributing to its success.
Given Decker’s desire to remain with the Lions and his status as the fourth offensive tackle in franchise history to reach 100 starts (with 112 regular season starts), it’s understandable that both parties would be interested in reaching a new contract agreement. While factors such as the number of years, new money, and guaranteed money need to be carefully considered to ensure a mutually beneficial deal, it would be highly unexpected if Decker does not receive a new contract that extends his tenure with the Lions for several more years beyond the upcoming season.
