Detroit Lions exercise Taylor Decker’s fifth year option

The Detroit Lions have chosen to exercise the fifth-year option of tackle Taylor Decker, the team announced via their official Twitter account on Monday.

The option is for the 2020 season and means that the upcoming 2019 season is no longer a contract year for the tackle. His salary in 2020 will not be guaranteed. The total for that salary hasn’t been announced yet, but it will equal the average salary of the third-to-25th highest salaries at offensive line. Last year, that number was $9.625 million. It will almost certainly be a little more than that.

Decker was selected 16th overall by the Lions in the 2016 NFL draft. He started all 16 games in an impressive rookie season. Injuries limited him in his sophomore year, as he was only featured in eight games in 2017.

He played a full season once again in 2018 but nagging injuries hampered his play as he slightly regressed. Decker scored his first career touchdown in 2018, where he caught a pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford on a trick play against the Los Angeles Rams.

Detroit’s 2016 draft class has proven to be a boon to the Lions offensive line, with Decker, third-round pick Graham Glasgow and fifth-round pick Joe Dahl all set to feature for the team in 2019.