Taylor Decker Feels 'Incredible' After Offseason Surgery

Decker had a foot and ankle procedure done this offseason.

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker takes the field during introduction. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker has been a staple on the team's offensive line since being a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Among the more durable players on the roster and the longest-tenured Lion, Decker has established himself as a leader on a young Lions team that pushed its way to the doorstep of the Super Bowl last season.

After the team finished the year short of the ultimate goal, the veteran said that he had surgery to repair injuries to both his foot and his ankle. Decker had a sesamoidectomy and deltoid repair along with a tendon transfer in his foot this offseason. The veteran added that he was dealing with bone spurs.

Decker said he expects to be limited in the spring but anticpates being active for training camp. The procedure was a necessary one, given how long the issue has bothered him and as a result gotten worse. Now, though, he hopes to maximize his future by improving the setback in his foot.

“It’s hurt me forever and within two days of the surgery, I felt incredible. I took pain meds for one day. Walking around fine now, feel really, really good," Decker said. "That’s kind of what I was leading into. Can I find a way to improve myself? Not just get something fixed just to get it fixed. I feel like walking around today as opposed to the last game of the season, I think it’s gonna be even better. Like I was talking to my trainers in the offseason, you know, 'You're not going to have this thing just nagging at you all the time. So maybe we'll be able to, like maximize even more, and maybe you'll feel even younger and better.' And I really do think I will."

Contract update

Decker is among several key players on the roster who is entering a contract year. While much of the attention has gone to Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown's respective extensions, Decker is also one of the crucial pieces who is seeking a new deal.

The Ohio State product has shared his desire to remain with the Lions in the past, and gave an update as to where he stands in terms of negotiations with the organization toward a new deal.

“Kind of, like, entry-level conversations. Base-level conversations," Decker explained. "I think my agent and the Lions are on the same page. So it’s very much an amicable conversation so far, but super early stages. Nothing of substance really other than, ‘Okay, cool, we’re gonna try to figure something out.’ Whether it’s multiple years or not. But we’re very much on the same page, so I feel comfortable with that.” 

The Lions are in an ideal spot from a cap space perspective currently, and general manager Brad Holmes has expressed his commitment to retaining the team's current talent. As a Draft pick of the Lions, Decker fits that bill as a homegrown player.

However, as the extensions start to pile up, it's uncertain whether Decker's market would fit the Lions' space. Decker sees where the team is going on its upward trajectory and hopes to get a deal done.