That’s the big question surrounding the Detroit Lions as they enter the heart of training camp for the 2025 season. Anzalone returned to practice this weekend after seemingly healing from a surprise hamstring injury he suffered during his conditioning test.

Anzalone stated that he would not miss any games and not be a detriment to the team in regards to his contract, while some speculated that he possibly would skip most or all of training camp and preseason. It’s fair to say that everybody breathed a sigh of relief when he showed up earlier than expected.

Stepping on to the practice field before missing any significant time and without a new deal signed shows that Anzalone is exactly the type of player that the Lions, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell want and need in this locker room.  He is well within his right to be asking for a new contract and quite frankly it’s not unreasonable that he is asking for one.

The only reason anybody is complaining or criticizing Alex Anzalone is because they don’t want any “distractions” heading into the 2025 season, a season in which if the Lions remain even half as healthy as they were last year they should be competing for their first ever Super Bowl win.

Alex Anzalone and his contract are not a distraction. Him missing time dealing with a hamstring injury or potentially a new deal isn’t a distraction. Trust me when I say this, there is not a single player in that locker room that is upset or disagrees with how their captain is handling things.

Alex Anzalone deserves a new contract, he deserves to be paid close, equal to or more than what others at his position are getting paid; especially when you take into account everything he has done and been for the Detroit Lions. He is the heart of the defense, any question arguing that is put to rest when you see how the defense played when he broke his forearm as opposed to when he returned.

The question is are the Lions the team that’s going to pay him that contract? The answer is yes but will they do it? Let me explain, when I say the Lions are the team that’s going to pay him that contract what I mean is the Lions are the ONLY team that is going to pay him the contract that he seeking. At 31 years old (this September), the concern over the wear and tear he has accumulated over the years being such a physical player will float around for teams. Are they willing to shell out major dollars?

I believe if the Lions could, they would have already done it. We know that and Alex knows that. The Lions have to be calculated on these next contracts they have coming up so that they can avoid losing even one of their key players they developed.

Hutchinson, Jamo, Branch, LaPorta, and Jack Campbell. Five core players that will all be seeking big pay days. For all the people worried about these record setting deals, keep in mind, Kerby got his deal and didn’t it didn’t kill the Lions. They have to be creative with how the contracts are structured and with Mike Disner at the helm, there isn’t any reason to believe it won’t get done. Goffs cap hit ballooning to $70 million next year is the main issue here, they’ll have to figure out a way to reduce that before anything gets done with Alex or anyone else.

Rumors are that Hutchinson may be getting an extension soon and that’s very much a possibility and definitely doable but the concern remains about the dwindling cap space until Goffs contract is dealt with. Goff isn’t going anywhere, unless he has a disastrous season (even if that happens, he’s still the Lions quarterback for the foreseeable future) and the Lions aren’t going to let any of their top players leave. All of them are under 25 and all of them are the best at their positions or close to it.

That leaves Anzalone on the outside looking in….for now. I believe that Anzalone had good dialog with the front office and that’s why he’s back. A deal may not happen right now, but it’s on the horizon. It could be a matter of, “listen, let us get these guys done and locked up and we will come back to you and take care of you. You’ll retire a Lion, be our captain and be a part of this run the next few years.

The Lions have shown that they will take care of their players, especially the ones they draft and develop but they won’t be bullied or pushed into a bad position. Just ask Jamaal Williams. They have a replacement already in Jack Campbell and are very comfortable in handing the defense over to him. Now it’s just a matter of showing the locker room that laying it on the line for this team and culture will be rewarded…if you prove that you’re still representing that culture.