With their success over the last few years, the Detroit Lions have successfully shed their "lovable losers" label, emerging from the past few seasons as a perennial heavyweight despite the lack of notches in the playoff win column.
But success in the NFL comes with a success tax, and GM Brad Holmes is about to receive the bill. As the team prepares for the draft in April, one question looms larger than all others: Is the Taylor Decker era officially over?
For a decade, Decker has been the cornerstone of the Lions' offensive line -- the soul of the rebuild under Dan Campbell. However, entering the 2026 offseason, the cold math of the salary cap is clashing with the sentimentality of the locker room.
The $18 Million Question
Decker is 32 years old and coming off a 2025 campaign where shoulder injuries clearly sapped his effectiveness. According to recent reports, the veteran tackle has openly contemplated retirement.
But if he doesn't hang up the cleats, the Lions face a brutal choice: Decker carries a massive cap hit of over $21 million for 2026. By releasing or trading him, Detroit could save a staggering $18 million in cap space.
In an offseason where Detroit must navigate the massive extensions of Aidan Hutchinson (2025) and Jared Goff in 2024, that $18 million isn't just "found money" -- it’s the difference between keeping a championship group together or watching key starters walk in free agency.
The Sewell Transition
The decision is made easier -- and more complicated -- by Penei Sewell. Sewell was once again outstanding in 2025, but he’s done it from the right side. However, the Lions have long known that Sewell’s ultimate destiny could be at left tackle, protecting Goff’s blindside.
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If the Lions move on from Decker, they have two options:
- Flip the Switch: Move Sewell to LT and use the No. 17 overall pick on a new Right Tackle like Utah’s Spencer Fano, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, or another name.
- The Status Quo: Keep Decker for one final "last dance," risking both the cap and Sewell's long-term transition.
The Lions have graduated from building for the future to sustaining a dynasty. The retirement of Frank Ragnow last year already shook the unit’s identity, but losing Decker would require a potential complete overhaul of the front five.
By April, Holmes has to decide if he’s willing to be the bad guy. Replacing a franchise legend is never easy, but if the Lions want to maintain their status as one of the elites of the NFC, they may have to trade a piece of their past to secure their future.