As training camp approaches, such as he may even have a great desire to play, the list of options for former Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker is short. Frankly, all things considered, the list may never have been that long, and he actively eliminated one team who looked like a great fit.
When Los Angeles Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson was arrested for felony domestic battery in June, Decker easily surfaced as a potential fill-in. The Rams are perpetually in win-now mode, and Decker of course has noted history with Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford.
More recent news that Jackson would not face criminal charges attached to the June incident, pending any further developments, seemed to completely eliminate the Rams as a potential landing spot for Decker.
Of course, Jackson not being criminally charged is not an exoneration, so there were likely more developments coming.
ESPN's Sarah Barshop confirmed Jackson's case has been assigned to a diversion program, as an alternative to criminal prosecution. The case will, as expected, remain open throughout the statute of limitations.
A lack of criminal charges doesn't mean Jackson is out of the woods when it comes to discipline from the NFL. In the eyes of the league office, he would likely be considered a repeat offender after being suspended for the first two games of the 2024 season due to a violation of the personal conduct policy.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, citing the exact wording of the personal conduct policy, has confirmed that.
"Under the express terms of the Personal Conduct Policy, a player commits a violation if there is a “disposition of a criminal proceeding.” That term is defined broadly to include “an adjudication of guilt or admission to a criminal violation; a plea to a lesser included offense; a plea of nolo contendere or no contest; or the disposition of the proceeding through a diversionary program, deferred adjudication, disposition of supervision, conditional dismissal, adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, pretrial intervention or similar arrangement."
Taylor Decker-to-the-Rams seems to still be alive as a possibility
As Florio noted, the underlying allegation of domestic violence makes, per the personal conduct policy, Jackson subject to a baseline suspension of six games. As a repeat offender, assuming he is seen as such, he would be "subject to enhanced and/or expedited discipline, including banishment from the league with an opportunity to reapply.”
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Jackson is unlikely to be banished from the NFL as a consequence of this latest incident. But the language of the personal conduct policy for those who are considered repeat offenders, again assuming Jackson is seen as one, practically mandates a suspension longer than six games.
With the latest developments all but confirming Jackson will be suspended for at least six games, Decker's agent may get a call from a number with a Los Angeles area code soon. And as was the case about a month ago, since there won't be a better option as things sit right now (and perhaps ever), he better take whatever offer may come from the Rams.
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