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Lions Fans Wish Taylor Decker Best, Quickly Turn to Best Options

Lions fans react on social media to Taylor Decker news.
Christian Booher|
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker (68).
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker (68). | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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Detroit Lions

The Taylor Decker era in Detroit appears to be nearing its end.

After previously announcing his intention to return for an 11th season in Motown, things took a stunning turn as Decker announced his request to be released from the team on Friday. As a result, the Lions will be in the market for a new starting tackle.

In a post thanking Lions fans and explaining his future, Decker wrote that he and the team had engaged in conversations that surprised him. According to reports, the two sides had potentially been discussing a restructure of his contract. Decker was owed $39 million over the final two years of his deal.

Decker had started 140 games for the Lions over 10 years. Originally the team's first-round pick in the 2016 draft out of Ohio State, he quickly became the everyday left tackle and helped anchor what was recently one of the best offensive lines in football.

The pairing of he and Penei Sewell at the tackle position gave the Lions a solid tandem, even when Decker recently began struggling with injuries. In 2025, Decker made 14 starts but struggled to practice throughout the week due to a nagging shoulder injury.

After the season, Decker told reporters that he would consider retirement due to the ongoing injuries, but ultimately elected to return as he announced during Combine week. However, things have changed and he will no longer be with the Lions moving forward.

In the immediate future, Decker's departure will have a big impact on the Lions' offensive line in 2026. While Sewell is an All-Pro on one side, there will be a void in terms of experience and production on the other.

With Decker's release, the Lions will have around $11 million available to add to their cap space for the offseason. The tackle position becomes a big need, as they have just two options, Gio Manu and Devin Cochran, aside from Sewell on the roster currently.

Manu, a fourth-round pick in 2024, made one start for the Lions last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Cochran, meanwhile, spent most of the year on Detroit's practice squad and was elevated for two games.

Fans experienced mixed emotions upon learning of the news, as they acknowledged Decker's importance but also noted the impact that recent injuries had on the veteran's performance.

"Even the great Jerry Rice and Joe Montana had to finish their career somewhere else," wrote one fan. "Not the first time a long time player and team couldn't agree on something. Good luck to him."

Here is a sample of the online reaction from Lions fans to Decker's request for a release.

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Christian Booher
CHRISTIAN BOOHER

Sports journalist who has covered the Detroit Lions the past three NFL seasons. Christian brings expert analysis, insights and an ability to fairly assess how the team is performing in a tough NFC North division. 

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