Veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone has been public about his desire for an extension with the Lions, but contract talks usually are not trending toward a deal, in response to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Last week, Anzalone expressed his disappointment regarding the team’s apparent lack of interest in extending him That was followed by a reassurance from head coach Dan Campbell that negotiations were still ongoing.
Anzalone missed the primary few practices of coaching camp as a result of a hamstring injury, but returned to the sphere on Monday with no considered holding out. The eight-year veteran is entering the ultimate yr of a three-year deal extension signed in 2023 after leading the Lions defense with 125 tackles the season prior. He seems poised to play out his contract and hit free agency where an uncertain market awaits him.
Though he’s a respected player, Anzalone doesn’t have the resume as Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David, who were each re-signed by their teams for $9MM this offseason. He’s also entering his age-32 season, which can make it difficult to get a multi-year deal.
The Lions have $48M in cap space, per OverTheCap, but they’ll wish to roll as much of that as possible into 2026, when a hefty bill awaits. If Anzalone still wants to complete his profession in Detroit after this season, he might have to take a below-market deal.