This offseason has brought significant contractual developments in Detroit. The team has authorized multiple record-setting extensions — for Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown — and paid Jared Goff at a top-market rate. Taylor Decker joined in on the extension spree Monday , becoming a Bob Quinn-era draftee to be paid by the now-Brad Holmes-run team.
Sewell, St. Brown and Goff arrived during Holmes’ first year, and the recently extended GM has another of his 2021 investments on the radar to be a long-term Lion. After a rumor suggested Alim McNeill was in the Lions’ extension plans, Holmes confirmed that is the case.
“He’s another one that Dan [Campbell] and I have talked about it. He’s part of the foundation,” Holmes said of McNeill during an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket’s Costa & Jansen with Heather show (h/t Pride of Detroit
). “He was part of our first draft, and again, we’ve gotten Penei done, we’ve gotten St. Brown done, and there’s plenty other guys within that draft class that have played key roles.
“But Alim, the way that he’s developed his game, he does everything right; he’s a total pro, and he’s extremely talented. So he’s another one that, it’s about time. So we’ll get talks going at some point and hopefully try to get something done.”
A third-round pick in 2021, McNeill has started 36 games for the Lions. The interior D-lineman has been Aidan Hutchinson ‘s steadiest sidekick up front and took a step forward last season. McNeill totaled career-high numbers in sacks (five) and QB hits (10) while matching his 2022 tackle for loss total (six) despite a short IR stint due to an MCL injury. McNeill, 24, then added another sack in the NFC championship game.
Although McNeill did not rank in the top 20 in pass rush win rate, Pro Football Focus viewed him as one of the better DTs against the run and pass and slotted him seventh overall at the position. That marked a notable improvement from 2022. The Lions did just pay D.J. Reader in free agency, giving the former Texans and Bengals starter a two-year, $22MM deal . That contract, however, comes with $7.43MM guaranteed. Reader is due a $4MM roster bonus if he is on Detroit’s roster by Day 3 of the 2025 league year. Hutchinson will also need to be paid, becoming extension-eligible in 2025. While that will complicate matters for McNeill, Reader may not be in the picture by the time Hutchinson’s cap numbers — from an eventual extension — begin to spike.
The Lions’ above-referenced extensions stand to also make it challenging to complete a McNeill deal, and the NC State alum could increase his value with a quality contract year. It sounds like the Lions will attempt to pay him early, which would represent quite the early commitment to a single draft class. That said, Holmes’ 2021 investments played lead roles in the team completing a remarkable turnaround. McNeill being extended would round out one of the most memorable offseasons in Lions history.