After entering the offseason with some doubt, we now have an answer to one of the issues surrounding Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker.
Decker, 32, used social media on Tuesday to declare that he intends to play in 2026, with the seasoned left tackle confirming his choice by adding a year 11 hashtag at the conclusion of his message.
Decker suffered a shoulder injury in 2025, forcing him to work through it. He later admitted that he was thinking about retiring.
General manager Brad Holmes stated on Tuesday that he hoped to have clarity on the situation of his left tackle in the next couple of weeks, which happened a bit sooner than anticipated.
Now, the issue is: are the Lions planning to release Decker?
Decker will account for a $21 million salary cap charge in 2026, which is substantial but not outrageous. When compared to the annual averages of other left tackles, Decker’s value falls outside the top ten, making it a reasonable amount to keep on the books.
Decker clearly wasn’t at his best last season, but he wasn’t awful, and there’s reason to think he will progress in 2026 if he can remain healthy.
For the time being, we would expect Decker to stay in Detroit, and there is a chance that the two parties will renegotiate his agreement.
