Getty Bob Quinn at a Lions press conference.
The Detroit Lions have been dealing with plenty of other things in recent weeks and months, so it’s safe to say contract talks might be the furthest thing from the mind of Bob Quinn at this point.
Detroit still has to decide on deals with a pair of key free agents in offensive tackle Taylor Decker and wideout Kenny Golladay. While Quinn has chosen to do deals during camp before, this year that could be different. Speaking with reporters, Quinn admitted that he isn’t answering questions about potential negotiations right now.
In other words, there’s no exact update to be had at this point in time.
With respect to both Golladay and Decker, the Lions likely want to get a deal done with the wideout first. He represents an elite player at his position. Decker might be more of a wait and see case, but it’s possible the Lions also want to keep the high draft pick around as well.
No news, in this case, doesn’t mean bad news. The Lions have been enduring a tough offseason like all teams and while plenty of deals have gotten done across the league, the team has time on their side to work out agreements with whomever they wish.
At this point, however, nothing new has taken place officially.
Taylor Decker Comments on Potential Contract Negotiations
One of the cases the Lions will have to deal with involves offensive tackle Taylor Decker. Decker is coming to a critical point in his Detroit career where the team will have to decide whether to keep him around or move on after the early part of his rookie career.
As of now, there hasn’t been any talk regarding what the future might be for Decker with the team. As he explained to reporters speaking on a teleconference, Decker has been content to let things play out behind the scenes with his agents, especially in light of what’s going on in the world at the moment.
Taylor Decker, on a Zoom, said quarantine has pushed contract thoughts to the back of his mind. Said it’s important, but he’s leaving it to his agents and whenever it happens, it happens. Hasn’t had any “major” talks with the Lions yet on an extension.
The Lions themselves haven’t had big talks with Decker, something he also confirmed when speaking to reporters.
At this point, it seems to be anyone’s guess if the team gets a deal done or wants to moving forward. Doing a deal with Kenny Golladay might be a bigger priority for the Lions moving forward this offseason. The Lions might be content to let things play out right now.
Taylor Decker Stats
Bob Quinn’s first draft pick from 2016 has run hot and cold in Detroit. While Decker has been a decent piece, he hasn’t been the transformational lineman the Lions probably hoped for when they selected him early on. There’s been a ton of change in Detroit up front the last few years, and it will be interesting to see if Quinn commits to more time with Decker, or if the Lions look elsewhere and try to start over at tackle. Decker has youth on his side, but this is a big decision for the franchise to make.
In his Lions career, Decker has played in 55 games with 55 starts and also has a receiving touchdown to his credit collected in the 2018 season.
Lions Writer Predicts Kenny Golladay’s Deal
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press was asked in a recent mailbag segment who he sees getting the next extension the team figures to dole out. Will it be offensive lineman Taylor Decker or wide receiver Kenny Golladay? Both are in need and each could figure to be deserving parties.
According to Birkett, the answer is Golladay due to how the franchise tag might work within each market. It could make sense for the Lions to wrap up a deal with Golladay no matter
Birkett wrote:
“Still, business must be done, and the Lions can’t afford to let both players reach free agency next season (when they’ll have only one franchise tag to work with). If I had to guess, I’d say Golladay is the more likely of the two to strike a deal.
Golladay has been playing on third-round money for the balance of his career, while Decker will have made $21 million after this season is done. He can afford to be more choosey with the contract he signs. Furthermore, the tag number for a wide receiver will be higher than that of an offensive lineman (this year, the tag on a receiver was $17.865 million, vs. $14.781 million for an offensive tackle) and the Lions don’t have any of their top pass catchers (Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola) under contract for 2021.
If the Lions only do one extension, it makes sense Golladay gets it.”
Golladay has more than earned a new deal given what he’s done on the field of play after being drafted by the team a few years ago. He’s more than earned a new deal thanks to this work and he figures to get it in due time, possibly even later on this offseason.
At this point, though, neither him nor Decker seem to be all that close to a deal.