Taylor Decker’s list of possible destinations just got a lot shorter.
With training camp approaching, the veteran left tackle still doesn’t have a new team, even after asking the Detroit Lions to release him following a request to take a pay cut. Decker had made it clear last December that retirement was on the table after the season, and he also said his surgically repaired shoulder might never be right again.
That backdrop helps explain why teams have been cautious. Decker was supposed to be heading into what looked like his 11th and final NFL season in Detroit, and plenty of clubs may view him through that lens: a short-term answer, not a long-term fix. Even so, the expectation that he would be a “Lion for Life” never fully disappeared.
If Decker is going to play this season, his options are limited unless an injury in training camp or the preseason opens up a new door. There are a few possibilities, but not many, and some of them are much more realistic than others.
One of the cleaner fits had been the Los Angeles Rams. That possibility surfaced about a month ago after left tackle Alaric Jackson was arrested for domestic battery.
The connection made sense on paper, especially with former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford now leading the Rams. The only question was whether the need would be there and whether Los Angeles would decide to act.
This week, though, that path appears to have closed. According to NBC 4 in Los Angeles, officials decided not to file any criminal charges against Jackson related to the incident. The case could still be revisited later, but for now Jackson is being offered alternatives such as attending a class, paying restitution or performing community service instead of facing criminal charges.
From the NFL’s perspective, Jackson is already a one-time offender under the personal conduct policy after serving a two-game suspension to open the 2024 season for that violation. It’s unclear whether the league will take any action on this latest incident, but criminal charges are not required for discipline.
For Decker, the Rams only made sense if the situation developed a certain way. Right after Jackson’s arrest, that possibility looked like a coin flip. Now, with no charges filed, it has swung the other direction, and Decker has one fewer option on a thin market.
In Other News...
These Lions Depth Names Suddenly Feel Far Less Safe
The Lions back end of the roster is starting to look a lot less settled as the team turns its attention toward 2026, and that matters because the margins are where depth charts are won and lost. In a group of players sitting in the 60-to-51 range on the current projection, there are familiar names mixed with newer faces, and the common thread is simple: recent production, special teams value and positional flexibility are going to decide who sticks around.
For players like Jacob Saylors and Tom Kennedy, the appeal is obvious because both have already shown they can help in the kicking game, while Nick Whiteside is trying to turn a late-season flash into something more durable. Even the young linemen and defensive depth pieces in this tier are feeling the pressure of a roster that keeps adding competition, which is why this part of the list reads less like a formality and more like an audition that could still go a few different directions. [Read more 🡒]
Lions May Have An Answer To Their Cornerback Problem
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One name that has started to surface is San Francisco's Renardo Green, a young corner who has already seen meaningful snaps and fits the kind of scheme Detroit likes to run. The 49ers have enough depth at the position to consider moving a defender, and Green's profile gives the Lions something they badly need: a potential long-term answer rather than just a short-term patch. [Read more 🡒]
Sam LaPorta Just Put Lions Fans In A Tough Spot
Sam LaPortas name still carries plenty of weight around the league, even after a season that ended far earlier than anyone in Detroit wanted. In ESPNs recent survey of executives, coaches and scouts, the Lions tight end was ranked No. 4 among NFL tight ends, a reminder that his impact has stretched well beyond the box score and into the way opponents have to account for him.
What makes that placement especially notable is how efficient LaPorta was when he was on the field in 2025. His yards after the catch and catch rate were among the best at the position, which only adds to the frustration of seeing his year cut short. Dan Campbell said LaPortas rehab is moving in the right direction and that he should be available for training camp, which gives Detroit a reason to feel better even as the bigger question lingers. [Read more 🡒]