Lions OL Taylor Decker addresses contract situation

Taylor Decker has a lot on his mind these days.

The Detroit Lions left tackle is still recovering from a complicated procedure on his foot and ankle, which included the removal of a bone because it was dying. The 30-year old (he will turn 31 in August) is also going into the final season of a five-season contract that will pay him a base salary of just under $13 million in 2024.

The Lions also have the higher priority contract extensions of quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and maybe even right tackle Penei Sewell and defensive tackle Alim McNeill to deal with.

Decker - who got way more publicity than most offensive linemen due to the prime-time nationally televised two-point conversion controversy against the Dallas Cowboys late last season - wants to remain with Detroit for the remainder of his career.

"That would be my goal," Decker told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "Obviously, there’s a lot more moving parts than just me on this team. I look at it from my perspective and what’s best for me and my family moving forward. But they have the draft coming up, they have a lot of other guys that are going to sign and for me this would be, knock on wood, a third contract if I do get one. So you have guys that are going into the second contract, so there’s just a lot of variables at play. But it’s not something that I think will be an issue."

Decker underwent the surgical procedure shortly after the Lions loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game in late January and it addressed issues that he had been dealing with - including stress fractures in both feet- since the 2014 season, when Decker was at Ohio State.

"So it’s hurt me forever, and within two days after the surgery I felt incredible," he said. "I took pain meds for one day. Walking around fine now."

Decker, who is taking part in Detroit's formal offseason program this week, said he will be limited for on-field workouts in the spring but "as far as come time for training camp and the season, I’ll be good to go."