ALLEN PARK -- Taylor Decker just finished his best season in the NFL, and he’s already ascending as the voice of a team ahead of an uncertain offseason.
Decker, who signed a four-year extension before the season, started 16 games at left tackle and is one of Detroit’s cornerstone pieces. The Lions are busy interviewing coaching and general manager candidates, and Decker made it known he plans to have his voice heard, and fast.
“But I want to be here my whole career and I want to be a winner,” he said during a Monday Zoom session. “I want this team and this city to win. I’m not going to overstep, but I’m going to go have conversations probably here in an hour or two. I’m going to see if Rod (Wood) is available. I’m going to go talk to Rod and just give my opinion because I am invested in this team.
“There are people, if it were up to me, I would want to keep. That’s not my decision to make, but over the past five years, I feel like I’ve put a lot into this organization and given what I can. So if I can just go put a word in for a player or a coach, I’ll do it. Ultimately, that’s not my decision, but if they’re willing to hear me out, that’s something I’m planning on doing, probably later today.”
Decker elaborated he feels his perspective inside daily meetings is worthwhile to share with Wood, the team’s president. Decker said he thinks the team’s executives would be open to hearing from players and what they liked about current staffers. Wood has been serving as the team’s acting general manager since Bob Quinn was dismissed. The Lions recently hired former linebacker Chris Spielman as a special assistant to Wood and principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp.
While he didn’t mention anyone else by name, Decker didn’t hesitate when asked if he plans to push for quarterback Matthew Stafford to return for another run.
“Of course,” Decker said. “That’s a short, simple answer.”
Related: Chris Spielman wants to help rebuild the Detroit Lions’ culture in new role with team
This isn’t the first time Decker has taken a more outspoken role in the previous year. He was one of the Lions players to speak outside the team facility when they canceled practice in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake. This is an entirely different situation, no doubt, but it’s clear he’s taking his role as one of the few seemingly locked into place pieces very seriously.
“I think having that perspective as a player, every day for six months working with certain people and seeing how things are done, to try and give that perspective,” Decker said. “And then, like I said, ultimately it’s not my decision to make, and I don’t want to overstep and try to say I know everything because I don’t, but I just want to give my perspective to see if I can help. Because I want to help this team. I help this team on the field, but if I can do it off, I would love to.”
It’s worth noting offensive line coach Hank Fraley was in his first season in the role, coming with glowing reviews from his players along the way.
Decked added he felt Detroit’s offensive line was the best and most consistent one he’s been part of during five seasons. The Lions faced instability in the trenches due to injuries every step of the way, but the group made it out of the 2020 campaign still looking like a bright spot.
On the topic of his own play? Decker made it clear now that the season’s over that he was one of the best tackles in football. And he’s not wrong.
Pro Football Focus ranked Decker 12th overall and seventh in pass protection among all tackles. The 2016 first-round pick allowed two sacks and 29 pressures on 1,066 snaps. He rocked the second-longest streak in the league without allowing a sack up until Detroit’s Week 11 debacle in Carolina. Decker is the eighth-highest paid left tackle around per Over the Cap. He’s one of the youngest near the top of that list and could be quite the bargain in a hurry.
“I think our position group had a really good year. I would say, in five years, this is the best we’ve played, consistently, and I think we have some really good pieces to build on,” Decker said. “It seems like I’m the old guy in the room and I’m 27. Hopefully that bodes well for the future. And I personally think I had a really good year. I think I was one of the best tackles in football. I wasn’t going to say that during the season, but the season is over now and hopefully that’s something I can build upon and improve upon.”
Related: Lions’ Taylor Decker is finally playing like one of the top offensive tackles in the league
Detroit’s offensive line certainly has some young pieces in place. Decker is signed through 2025 thanks to that $60 million extension. Third-round rookie Jonah Jackson held up well at left and then right guard for 16 games. Frank Ragnow, 24, continues to play like one of the best centers in all of football, returning for every snap in the finale just weeks after fracturing his throat.
Detroit wasted little time in kick-starting its coaching search to open the week. The team requested interviews with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Saints assistant head coach/tight ends coach Dan Campbell and Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Lions have also already kicked the tires on former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.
“Yeah, I don’t think I can speak as much to other candidates or people that aren’t in the building every single day because, obviously, I spend every single day in this building,” Decker answered when asked what he wants to see. “I think my perspective is more on the pieces that we have here. So I’m not going to say about that -- who the possible head coach is or who the possible GM is, because I don’t know anything about any of that and I’m going to let them do their process on that. Really, my perspective would be in the building, any players or coaches that we do have, and just give perspective on that.
“Obviously, I don’t get to make the decision, but like I said, if my perspective can help, I’d like to give it because I’m invested in this.”
Related: 3 things we learned: New OL coach Hank Fraley one of the unsung heroes of season
The Link LonkJanuary 05, 2021 at 04:04AM
https://www.mlive.com/lions/2021/01/lions-taylor-decker-fresh-off-breakout-year-rises-as-voice-ahead-of-uncertain-offseason.html
Lions’ Taylor Decker, fresh off breakout year, rises as voice ahead of uncertain offseason - mlive.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
No comments:
Post a Comment