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Why the Detroit Lions should extend Alex Anzalone

   

When the Detroit Lions and Aaron Glenn brought Alex Anzalone over from New Orleans as a low-risk veteran addition early in the rebuild, I never imagined I’d one day be advocating for his fourth contract in Detroit. That speaks volumes about both the player and the organization—and what they’ve become together.

Why the Detroit Lions Should Not Extend Alex Anzalone - Detroit Sports Nation

Currently, Anzalone, entering his age-31 season, is on the books for just over $7 million in 2025—a bargain. His $6.1M average annual salary ranks just 18th among inside linebackers, behind players like Josey Jewell and Cody Barton.

Recently, both linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard were asked about Anzalone potentially skipping voluntary offseason work—hinting at a desire for more long-term contract certainty.

To me, it’s a no-brainer.

Last year, the Lions gave veterans Taylor Decker (13th among OTs in AAV) and David Montgomery (ninth among RBs) more security with extensions that included a guaranteed 2025 salary and contract control through 2027. No one’s pretending the salary cap isn’t real—COO Mike Disner and the front office will have to make some tough decisions and perform high-level salary cap gymnastics for foundational rookie-contract players. But based on everything Anzalone has done, a reasonable extension is more than justified.

Like Decker and Montgomery, Anzalone wasn’t drafted by GM Brad Holmes, but he’s become one of the regime’s tone-setters. With Detroit entering a season as a top-five Super Bowl favorite, stability matters. A two-year, $20-22M extension for 2026 and 2027—with under $15M guaranteed—feels like the right move for both sides.

Northern Savage

Since the start of the Dan Campbell era, 61 different players have started games on defense for the Lions—an average of over 15 defensive starters per season. Alex Anzalone is the only one who has started more than six games in each of those years. He’s logged at least 10 starts every season, leading all Detroit defenders with 57 total starts and 3,523 defensive snaps during that span.

Anzalone has been the backbone of this defense’s spine—both on the field and in the locker room. It’s hard to fully quantify his value to the team culture, to the fan base, and to the growth of players like Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell.

But what’s not hard to quantify: he’s playing the best football of his life.

If you watched the Lions in 2024, you saw the impact firsthand. With Anzalone in the lineup, Detroit’s defense was a top 5–10 unit by most metrics. Without him—and with a revolving cast of characters at WILL linebacker next to Campbell—the defense struggled to find its identity. If you need a refresher, Jeremy Reisman highlighted some mind-boggling with-and-without splits after the division-clinching regular season finale win over Minnesota.

From a box score perspective, Anzalone stood out as well: 63 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, five quarterback hits, and five passes defensed—all in just 10 starts.

The Lions also spent this offseason bolstering their defensive front, re-signing key contributors like Barnes and Levi Onwuzurike and adding more monsters in the middle that can help reset the line of scrimmage with Tyleik Williams and Roy Lopez. That investment should make life even easier for Anzalone to keep thriving at the second level.

Aged To Perfection

Anzalone’s NFL—and Lions—career is a lot like a well-worn cast iron pan. After years over the fire and working with some less desirable, affordable ingredients, he’s seasoned up beautifully. Now, he’s delivering more consistent, flavorful performances with every snap.

That’s not unusual for linebackers. Like quarterbacks, the position is highly cerebral. Over time, they begin to recognize post-snap variables pre-snap. The game slows down. Processing speeds up. And as they enter their early 30s, many linebackers hit their peak—not a decline.

One common misconception about giving Anzalone a short-term extension is the belief that linebackers fall off in their early 30s like players at other physically demanding positions. But if Anzalone were extended, his 2026 season would be his age-32 year—hardly unprecedented. From 2015–2024, there were 38 linebacker seasons (age 32+) from 19 different players who contributed meaningful snaps, strong Pro Football Reference AVs, quality PFF grades, or positive total defensive EPA while on the field. (Yes, EPA can reflect overall defensive play, but it’s still a relevant piece of the picture.)

Notable examples like Demario Davis, Lavonte David, Bobby Wagner, and Thomas Davis all sustained high-level output well into their mid-30s—busting the myth that linebacker performance falls off a cliff at 30.

The Lions’ 2024 defense—despite a wave of injuries—was their best in over a decade. They posted their strongest marks in defensive success rate, EPA per play, points allowed per game, and third down conversion rate allowed since at least 2014. Anzalone was at the center of that success.

Moving on from Anzalone after everything he’s contributed over the past four seasons wouldn’t optimize this team’s Super Bowl window—especially when he can likely be retained at a relatively agreeable rate. He’s a tone-setter, a stabilizer, and the ideal fit for this team’s culture and scheme.

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