During a Monday radio broadcast on 97.1FM, Lions general manager Brad Holmes revealed that left tackle Taylor Decker had inked a contract extension. This is a three-year, $60 million deal, according to his agent, who verified the news.
Decker’s most recent Lions contract guarantees him $31.83MM. He was about to enter the last year of a contract that was supposed to pay him $13.7 million. However, the 29-year-old has since received a rise and more long-term security. Decker’s record will be active until 2027.
All 116 of the former first-round pick’s regular and postseason games have been starts throughout his eight-year stint with Detroit. In particular, Decker has continued to perform consistently in pass protection, and his PFF ratings have stayed stable over time. In 2023, he achieved his best-to-date grade of 81.1, which was the ninth-highest overall among tackles.
In the spring, Decker and the Lions started negotiating an extension, setting the stage for a lucrative offseason in which numerous agreements were negotiated. In recent months, players at the top of their respective markets, such as quarterback Jared Goff, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and right tackle Penei Sewell, secured contracts. Decker’s $20MM AAV will propel him up to sixth place among blindside blocks, a significant rise from his prior position.
Given that Decker recently gave a good assessment of the status of the contract negotiations, today’s announcement is not shocking. Now that his contract is official, Detroit’s tackle combination will remain together for the foreseeable future. We can now definitively say that Sewell will not be moving to the left (at least not very soon). Giovanni Manu, a collegiate prospect from Canada, was chosen by the Lions in the fourth round of the draft, although his long-term growth is his main concern. Decker being under contract means that Manu won’t have to act quickly.
