The Detroit Lions have been committed to keeping their homegrown stars around, and that included locking up defensive tackle Alim McNeill. Last October, they handed McNeill a massive four-year, $97 million extension with $55 million guaranteed — making him the fourth-highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL.
But just two months later, McNeill tore his ACL during Week 15 against the Bills. The late-season injury means he’s a near-lock to miss the start of the 2025 campaign, with a projected return not until late October or November. As a result, McNeill is expected to begin the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, sidelining him for at least the first four games.
Despite the injury, McNeill has been a key figure in Detroit’s defense. Since being drafted in the third round in 2021 — GM Brad Holmes’ first draft — McNeill has established himself as a top-10 defensive tackle in each of the past two seasons, per Pro Football Focus. But durability has become a concern after he missed four games with a knee sprain late in 2023 and now faces a long recovery from a torn ACL.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport recently highlighted McNeill as the NFL’s most overpaid defensive tackle, citing the Lions’ hefty investment just before the injury as a major risk.
“McNeill is a quality run defender who occasionally flashes as a pass rusher,” Davenport wrote. “But he’s never had more than five sacks in a season and has just 11.5 career sacks. Players earning over $25 million a year are expected to wreck games, and McNeill hasn’t consistently shown that ability.”
Davenport warned that the longer McNeill takes to return to form, the worse the Lions’ investment could look. While McNeill’s 2025 cap hit is manageable at $6.1 million, it balloons to nearly $29 million by 2028. Most of his $23.85 million 2026 base salary is already guaranteed, meaning Detroit is essentially tied to him through at least the 2026 season.
The Lions likely felt confident extending McNeill after seeing his steady improvement, but they also paid him like a top-tier disruptor before he fully proved himself. Now, as McNeill works to return from a major knee injury, the team’s decision is under the microscope — and whether he can justify the price tag remains one of Detroit’s biggest storylines heading into the new season.
Lions’ $97 Million Gamble on Alim McNeill Already Facing Tough Questions
