The Detroit Lions’ split with longtime left tackle **Taylor Decker**has already been complicated.
Now, it may have just gotten… a little stranger.
After Decker revealed he had no contact with team leadership following his decision to return for another season, a new wrinkle has emerged that could help explain at least part of the communication breakdown, though it doesn’t fully excuse it.
Taylor Decker Detroit Lions Taylor Decker Brad Holmes communication
Did Decker even have the right number?
During a recent podcast appearance, Lions beat writer Justin Rogers shared an unexpected possibility that had been circulating inside the organization.
“Interesting thing that was hypothesized to me by multiple members of the organization this week is that Decker might not have had the right number for Brad Holmes,” Rogers said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “I will say, that is possible, because the number I had for Brad Holmes no longer works, so it adds an interesting layer.”
If true, it’s the kind of detail that feels almost too bizarre to matter, and yet, in this case, it might.
At minimum, it offers some explanation for why early attempts at communication may have gone nowhere.
But the silence still lingers
Even with that context, the broader issue remains.
Rogers made it clear that regardless of how things started, the length of the silence is harder to justify.
“I think, after a month, if you still haven’t heard from your GM, it still falls at least a little bit on Holmes in terms of that communication,” Rogers said. “I think the situation’s kind of playing out exactly what I thought it would. I think the Lions heard it, they recognized, ‘Hey, maybe we should’ve done a better job communicating.’”
That’s where the situation shifts from odd to uncomfortable.
Because at some point, missed calls turn into missed opportunities, especially when the player involved spent a decade with the organization.
Fraley connection may have mattered most
Interestingly, the most meaningful outreach for Decker may not have come from the front office at all.
Later in the discussion, Rogers noted that Decker may have been more affected by the lack of communication from offensive line coach Hank Fraley.
That relationship carried weight.
Decker had previously advocated for Fraley when the current coaching staff was assembled, making the silence feel more personal.
There was even some internal speculation that Decker wondered whether Fraley had been instructed not to reach out.
That has since changed.
Fraley has connected with Decker, helping clear the air and ease some of the tension.
Relationship not completely broken
Despite everything, this isn’t a burned bridge.
According to Rogers, Decker still values his time in Detroit and remains open to maintaining a relationship with the organization. That could even include returning someday to sign a ceremonial one-day contract and retire as a Lion.
Which, in a situation like this, says a lot.
The bigger picture
What started as a straightforward roster decision has turned into something more layered, part business, part communication breakdown, part timing.
Maybe it was a wrong number.
Maybe it was a missed moment.
Maybe it was both.
Either way, it’s a reminder that even well-run organizations can stumble when it comes to the human side of the game.
And sometimes, the smallest details end up telling the biggest story.