Lions Taylor Decker Asks For Release: What It Means for Salary Cap

The Detroit Lions and a franchise mainstay are parting ways in a shocking development.

After previously announcing his intentions to return for an 11th season with the Lions, offensive tackle Taylor Decker announced Friday that he is requesting his release from the Lions. The offensive lineman was set to be under contract through the end of the 2027 season as part of a three-year extension signed in 2024.

"Things change, 145 games started, 3 playoff appearances, 2 division titles, a decade carrying the shield," Decker wrote in a social media post Friday. "I fully intended to do it once again, but my time as a Lion is coming to an end. In the weeks since notifying the team of my return there have been numerous discussions. Many of which were a surprise to me, and we could not find common ground. Therefore I decided to request my release."

Reports indicate that the Lions and Decker may have been having conversations surrounding a potential restructure of his contract for the final two years of his deal. Decker was owed $39 million over those two seasons.

According to Over The Cap, the Lions will save around $11.6 million against the salary cap this offseason, and won't carry what was supposed to be a cap hit of $24 million for 2027. With his release, the Lions will take on $9.4 million in dead cap for this season.

The Ohio State product, who the Lions drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, was originally pondering retirement in the offseason for health reasons before announcing his intent to return during Combine week.

"I am opting for a clean and amicable close to what has been such a beautiful 10 years going to war as a Lion," Decker explained. "It has been the absolute privilege of my life to be your LT for the past 10 years. And I am forever grateful for the opportunity the Ford family and Lions organization afforded me."

Decker was originally penciled in to be the team's starting left tackle once again in 2026, but it appears things have changed. The team has Penei Sewell on the other side of the offensive line, but will need to find a new tackle to start on the opposite side of the All-Pro.

Along with Sewell, the Lions have backups Gio Manu and Devin Cochran on roster. Manu, a 2024 fourth-round pick, started one game last season but missed a majority of the second half while on injured reserve.

The last week has brought about plenty of change for the Lions, as they also traded running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans and cut center Graham Glasgow.

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