Veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone has been public about his desire for an extension with the Lions, but contract talks are not trending toward a deal, according 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
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Anzalone missed the first few practices of training camp due to a hamstring injury, but returned to the field on Monday with no thought of holding out. The eight-year veteran is entering the final year 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 does not have the resume as Bobby Wagner or Lavonte David , who were both re-signed by their teams for $9MM this offseason. He’s also entering his age-32 season, which may make it difficult to get a multi-year deal.
The Lions have $48M in cap space, per OverTheCap, but they will want to roll as much of that as possible into 2026, when a hefty bill awaits. If Anzalone still wants to finish his career in Detroit after this season, he may need to take a below-market deal.