Will Taylor Decker retire? And will David Montgomery be traded? Two key pieces of the Lions' offense remain question marks for 2026, but the team expects to have answers soon.
After getting caught without a capable center last season when Frank Ragnow announced his retirement after the main wave of free agency and the draft, the Lions won't fall into that same trap at left tackle. They're intent on getting an answer from Decker about his plans by the start of the new league year on March 11, which also marks the start of free agency.
"Obviously Taylor has earned the right to have as much space as he needs to reflect on a long season and we respect him, we give him that," Brad Holmes said Tuesday at the NFL combine. "But obviously with the start of the new league year coming, you want as much clarity as possible, so within these next couple of weeks, we’ll make sure that we have that clarity."
Dan Campbell said that he had a conversation with Decker when last season ended "about just him taking his time to figure out if this is what he really feels like he wants to do, can do," and has "left him alone" since.
"I don’t want to say that we haven’t had a conversation, but I’m leaving that between us," Campbell said. "But look, if it’s not (him at left tackle next season), then we gotta find a guy, right? But if it is, we still gotta find a guy, because as much as I love Deck, he’s got some things that are going to need some management. That’s kind of where we’re at."
Decker, who turns 33 in August, played through shoulder and knee injuries last season. The shoulder issue cost him three games and required constant maintenance throughout the season.
"One way or another, we’re going to need somebody that can play over there and that can help us, if we need him in a crunch or if we need him as a starter. So that’s important," Campbell said.
With center another question mark for the Lions in 2026, Campbell said that Lions have also been discussing their options on the interior of the offensive line.
"We’ve been digging, we’ve been looking at stuff," he said. "But until we can figure a little bit of those pieces out, and then exactly who is going to be available, who are we going to have the ability to potentially go after, how does that affect another position or the depth of the roster, then we’re kind of just waiting it out here a little bit."
Montgomery's future with the Lions was thrown into doubt when Holmes said at his end-of-season press conference that the veteran running back "deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized" and that the Lions would have to consider moving him to a new team after Montgomery's role was diminished in Detroit's offense last season. It painted the picture of a player who potentially wanted out.
Holmes said Tuesday at the NFL combine that he's "been in touch with David’s agent and his representation" and that the dialogue between the two sides is ongoing.
"Obviously, look, we love David," said Holmes. "He’s a great player, we’d love to have him. Kind of want to put last year in the rearview and just move forward, but obviously a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. Those conversations are still fluid and we’ll just see how it goes."
Holmes declined to elaborate on the details of said conversations, but reiterated that he's had "healthy dialogue with David at the end of the year and I’ve had healthy dialogue with his agent."
Montgomery, who turns 29 this offseason, signed a two-year extension with the Lions in 2024 that runs through 2027. He saw career lows in carries and touches last season as Detroit leaned especially hard on Jahmyr Gibbs.
But the hire of Drew Petzing could change things. Detroit's new offensive coordinator oversaw an elite rushing offense during his time with the Cardinals. He could be a key to restoring the Lions' punishing ground game and perhaps to retaining Montgomery.
Campbell has taken the same approach with Montgomery that he's taken with Decker. They talked at the end of the season and "I told him, I like to give these guys their space and just let them kind of unwind a little bit in their own way," Campbell said. "They don't need me in their ear. But certainly, he knows how I feel."
"Drew loves him -- I mean, who wouldn't?" said Campbell. "This guy is a heck of a back. We'll just see where everything is at. Certainly, there have been healthy conversations, I'm sure Brad told you guys. All good, man. David's a pro. We'll figure this out."