For at least one more year, the Detroit Lions were expected to have left tackle Taylor Decker back after he announced he was not retiring. But not so fast, as Decker took to Instagram to announce he has asked for and been granted his release ahead of the start of free agency.
With no fully guaranteed salary left in the final two years of his contract, Decker apparently asked for his release after contract talks broke down. So he'll finish his career elsewhere, after it looked like he'd be a proverbial "Lion For Life."
Now the focus quickly shifts to what the Lions will do to replace their long-time left tackle. Securing Decker's successor at some point early in April's draft was already on the table, but now that fully turns to possibly drafting an immediate replacement in the first round.
However it looks, the Lions have to nail the construction of their offensive line for next season and beyond. Nothing should be out of bounds in that effort.
Lions now have a big decision to make with Penei Sewell
In the wake of Decker's departure, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press offered a reminder of some intel he got at the NFL Combine.
"Wrote this last week, but had an agent who met with the Lions before Taylor's first announcement say his impression was Lions would move Sewell to LT and sign a RT if Decker retired. Obviously a lot TBD all over right now on that OL and what the Lions do from here."
The playing field has become more level over the years, but as a group left tackles still get paid more than right tackles do. So if you have to replace an offensive tackle in free agency, you'd rather be pursuing a right tackle.
For the Lions, signing a right tackle obviously means you're moving Penei Sewell to left tackle. His salary surely fits, and his skill set is very transferable. It's also safe to assume he'll make the move if asked to, without issue or complaint.
Of course when the Lions drafted Sewell seventh overall in 2021, he had played left tackle at a high level in college at Oregon. When Decker was sidelined by a finger injury before Week 1 that season, Sewell made the move back to the left side and started his first eight NFL games there.
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With only a couple bumps in the road, Sewell fairly seamlessly protected Jared Goff's blindside early in his rookie season. But it was never really considered an option to keep him at left tackle when Decker was able to play.
Decker next missed a couple games early in the 2023 season. Sewell stepped in to start at left tackle, and did just fine. But since then when Decker has missed time, six games over the last two seasons, Sewell has stayed at right tackle.
Once upon a time, former NFL offensive lineman Artis Hicks, who was noted for his versatility if nothing else, suggested to a reporter that switching sides of the offensive line was akin to learning to write with your other hand. To put it simply, everything is the opposite of what you've been doing.
As Decker made a decision about his future, and with regard to how much longer he'd play, the idea of moving Sewell to left tackle has existed in a hypothetical phase early this offseason. But the topic has probably been broached more firmly with him now, and if things take shape a certain way in free agency, the position move will happen.