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Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor is the most obvious cut candidate in 2026.
The Detroit Lions need a left tackle, but their best option after five days of free agency may be to rearrange the roster they already have and settle for a right tackle instead.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN on Friday, March 13 dubbed Detroit perhaps the best fit for former Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker, after which he promptly inked a one-year deal worth $10 million to join the Carolina Panthers.
With Walker off the board and following the team’s recent decision to release 10-year starter Taylor Decker, the Lions could decide instead to flip Penei Sewell to the other side of the offensive line, which Barnwell discussed.
“Detroit could move star right tackle Penei Sewell to the left side, where he played at Oregon, but there’s something to be said for keeping a superstar in the position where he has excelled,” Barnwell wrote.
The problem the Lions face is what to do on QB Jared Goff’s blindside if they keep Sewell at right tackle. There are more options in free agency for Detroit to fill a void on the right side of its offensive line, including three-year Kansas City Chiefs starting tackle Jawaan Taylor.
Kansas City parted ways with Taylor this offseason in the interest of saving $20 million against the salary cap, but he remains a talented pass blocker heading into his age-29 campaign.
Beyond that, Spotrac projects Taylor’s market value at $45 million over a new three-year deal, which is a lot of money, but not a wild APY figure in terms of the position. For context, Sewell is second in the NFL in average annual salary for a right tackle at $28 million, just behind Tristan Wirfs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($28.125 million).
Jawaan Taylor Would Improve Lions’ Pass Blocking Immediately
Chiefs to release Jawaan Taylor amid NFL free agency news
GettyFormer Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor.
Barnwell mentioned Taylor among his top remaining free agents on Friday and noted the Indianapolis Colts as a top fit.
However, some of that same reasoning applies to Detroit’s situation should the team transfer Sewell to left tackle and pursue Howard in free agency.
“Taylor is a good pass-blocking tackle, as he ranked 15th, 17th and seventh in pass block win rate across his three seasons in Kansas City,” Barnwell explained. “He hadn’t missed a single game to injury during his pro career before an elbow injury cost Taylor the final five games of the 2025 season. While he turns 29 in November and isn’t really an option to play on the left side of the line, he has the sort of résumé that should earn him a meaningful third contract.”
Jawaan Taylor’s Penalty Issues Could Cost Lions More Than Other NFL Offenses
GettyRunning back Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions.
The Lion’s biggest potential turnoff from Taylor, other than the fact he plays right tackle and not left tackle, is all of the penalties he commits.
Taylor has incurred 92 flags from officials since entering the league as an early second-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. Barnwell noted that is 19 more penalties than anyone else in the league has earned across the last seven years combined.
Detroit is an explosive offense behind playmakers like running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, which could render Taylor’s sometimes needless mistakes all the more costly were the Lions to bring him in this offseason.