Alex Anzalone Skipping OTAs
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone is nowhere to be found at Allen Park this week, and now we know why. Detroit Free Press insider Dave Birkett reports the defensive captain is staying home because he’s unhappy with the final year of his deal—a contract that will pay him just $6 million in 2025 with no guarantees.
TL;DR
Birkett says Anzalone is skipping voluntary OTAs over contract displeasure.
The veteran is set to earn a below-market $6 million base salary this fall.
Dan Campbell praises Anzalone’s leadership and stresses there’s “no bad blood.”
Alex Anzalone Skipping OTAs Over Contract Concerns
“Alex Anzalone is unhappy with his current contract and not taking part in voluntary OTAs, and Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez are recovering from injuries.” — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
Anzalone signed a three-year, $18 million extension in 2023 after back-to-back prove-it seasons. Two years later, the linebacker market has surged, leaving his $6 million salary looking more like rotational money than captain pay.
Here is a look at Anzalone’s current contract, via OverTheCap.com.
Dan Campbell: “No Bad Blood” Despite Absence
“I’ve talked to Alex, he’s doing really good,” Dan Campbell said as quoted by the Detroit Free Press. “I got a lot of respect for him and everything that he’s about. Obviously, he’s not here right now, but I mean it’s totally up between him and everyone in the Lions organization. He’s done a lot of great things for us, he’s a team captain, I can’t say enough good things about him. So that’s between him and the Lions. And it’s none of my business and I got everyone’s back and everything up from Alex to the organization. There’s no bad blood between nobody.”
Campbell’s tone is relaxed—much like his remarks about Frank Ragnow’s contract earlier in the week. Translation: conversations are happening, but the Lions aren’t panicking in late May.
Why the Contract Feels Light
Market shift: Since Anzalone inked his deal, linebackers like Bobby Okereke ($10 M AAV) and Ernest Jones ($9.5 M AAV) have pushed mid-tier pay northward.
Production bump: Anzalone has logged 395 tackles and 22 TFLs in four Detroit seasons—numbers that would put him in line for a raise on the open market.
No guarantees: Similar to Frank Ragnow, who is also unhappy, Anzalone’s final season contains zero guaranteed dollars, magnifying injury risk.
REPORT FRANK RAGNOW UNHAPPY WITH CURRENT CONTRACT
Top Paid NFL Linebackers
Here are the top linebacker contracts in the NFL via OverTheCap.com: As you can see, Anzalone is down the list.
What Happens Next?
Short-term handshake: Convert a chunk of 2025 salary into bonus and guarantee it.
Mini-extension: Add a year, push AAV into the $8-9 million neighborhood, and guarantee a portion.
Wait-and-see: Anzalone could report for mandatory minicamp (mid-June) to avoid fines while talks continue.
Given GM Brad Holmes’ history of rewarding core leaders—and Campbell’s public respect for his captain—option #1 feels like the clubhouse favorite.