As much as it was hard to envision Taylor Decker doing anything other than spend his entire career as a Detroit Lion, right up until he asked for and received his release, it was probably harder for him to envision still being available as the calendar flips to July.
Theoretically, there should be a solid market for a proven veteran left tackle. But Decker also acknowledged he would genuinely consider retirement this offseason before last season was over, while also suggesting his surgically repaired shoulder would never be completely right again.
Mix in what may have been a miscalculation of the market for his services upon asking to be released, which presumably could have been avoided with help from his agent, and here Decker is, listed consistently among the top available free agents as we head toward training camp.
Decker would presumably narrow to signing with a contending team at this stage of his career, and this point on the calendar, with a few that look like a potential fit. If any of those teams call, Decker should not turn them away.
If any teams of that ilk have called and he did turn them down, that would suggest he'd rather retire. Maybe that's the vibe he's been putting out, if any teams have shown interest.
New predicted landing spot would have Taylor Decker yearning for his Lions' days
Until he signs somewhere, possible landing spots for Decker will be offered up. It will also take coloring a little outside the generally assumed contending team lines to reveal something unique.
In a look at how to fix the worst offenses in the NFL, based on last season's output and offseason losses, a new landing spot for Decker has been put out there by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report.
"If the Tennessee Titans are serious about quarterback Cam Ward's pass protection, they must upgrade at left tackle. Dan Moore Jr. has struggled in pass-blocking sets for most of his career. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed eight sacks while on the field for 621 pass-blocking snaps in 2025."
"Although it would be bold to bench a player with a $19.5 million base salary, the front office appears to have overpaid for Moore. The new coaching staff has to right that wrong to keep Ward upright in the pocket."
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It would be an interesting move for Tennessee to bench Dan Moore one year after they invested so significantly in him to be their left tackle. But Decker would be a noticeable upgrade, and doing whatever it takes to elevate second-year quarterback Cam Ward has to be on the table.
While the AFC South feels like it's pretty wide open again this year, the Titans don't look like team that has a deep playoff run in them. But with a short list of options that isn't going to grow, Decker may be left to take whatever he can get if he wants to play this season. And that's a position he surely didn't expect to be in when he asked the Lions to release him nearly four months ago.
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