Why the Detroit Lions should not re-sign tackle Taylor Decker

Lay it out for us, what’s the price tag likely to look like?

Decker’s current five-year deal ends after this season and he is slated to make $10,350,000 in base salary, giving him the 16th-highest cap hit at left tackle in the NFL, according to Spotrac’s website. While that may sound like a hefty sum for a tackle, the biggest cap hit belongs to the New York Giants’ tackle Nate Solder, who is set to cost his club $19.5 million dollars for 2020.

While it’s tough to judge one offensive lineman apart from his linemates, left tackles do tend to be the most valuable and best athletes of that offensive group. Decker, considered to be in his prime years at age 26, is likely to ask for somewhere near the top end of NFL salaries given that there are not copious amounts of accomplished, talented tackles.

Laremy Tunsil’s recent extension for three years with the Houston Texans is for $66 million dollars, including a $13 millions bonus, and $50 million guaranteed. That gives him the highest average of any left tackle in football at $22 million, Spotrac tells us. Tunsil was selected just three picks in front of Decker during the 2016 NFL Draft, too.

Do you pay him an average of $22 million to man the left flank of the line or do you let him play out this year and hit free agency in 2021? General manager Bob Quinn will be under a lot of pressure to re-sign his first Lions pick to validate the selection and his own ability. This is part of what makes Decker leaving not real likely, however, we think the cost outweighs the benefit.