Taylor Decker shoulder injury update: Returning to Lions for Year 11
Analysis of Decker's 2026 outlook as well as Lions free agency and draft ramifications
Taylor Decker announced on February 24 that he is returning for the 2026 season. This is great news for this long-time warrior and the Lions.
First, let’s analyze the timing of his announcement, review the details of his shoulder injury, and discuss his outlook for 2026. Then, let’s break down what it all means for the Lions strategy this offseason in free agency and the draft.
For a recap of Decker’s shoulder and other injury issues, start here…
What does the timing of Decker’s announcement tell us?
At the NFL combine on February 24, Brad Holmes stated he didn’t expect to know Decker’s status for another couple weeks. Well, later that same day, Decker announced that he was going to return in 2026.
The Lions season ended on January 4. That means that it took less than 2 months for Decker to feel confident enough in his shoulder recovery to announce a return. That’s a pretty favorable sign that a short amount of rest made a big impact on his symptoms. With the season still 5 months away, his shoulder should continue to heal and improve.