By Moses Joshua 
With free agency approaching, Alex Anzalone’s future in Motown is suddenly anything but certain — and the clock is ticking on one of Detroit’s quiet cornerstones.
For the past five seasons, Alex Anzalone has been the steady heartbeat in the middle of the Detroit Lions’ defense. Not the loudest name on the roster, not the flashiest highlight reel — just the guy who shows up every week, lines everyone up, and makes the tackle that has to be made.
Now, that stability is under threat.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler dropped a reality check that sent a ripple through Detroit’s offseason plans, writing that Anzalone’s return is a “50/50 proposition.” And that simple phrase may end up shaping the entire defensive blueprint for 2026.
League Respect Is Finally Catching Up
Anzalone is set to hit free agency in March, and according to Fowler, the rest of the NFL sees what Detroit has often taken for granted.
“Anzalone has been a fixture for the Lions in the Dan Campbell era, and his game is more respected in league circles than in fan or media circles,” Fowler wrote. “The early feedback: Anzalone’s return is a 50/50 proposition. Detroit wants him back, but he’ll have interest from other teams.”
That interest isn’t theoretical. Spotrac projects his next deal around $15.2 million over two years, roughly $7.6 million annually — a modest number for a durable, every-down linebacker with nearly a decade of experience.
And Anzalone has earned that respect.
Since signing with Detroit in 2021, he has started 73 games, compiling 490 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 33 pass breakups, 32 QB hits, nine sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. In 2025 alone, he posted 95 tackles, 2.5 sacks and nine pass deflections.
Quiet production. Relentless consistency.
Why Detroit Suddenly Faces a Dilemma
The Lions are not flush with cash. As of now, they sit roughly $5 million over the 2026 cap, and every major move will ripple across the roster.
There is money coming — possibly a lot of it — if Detroit releases or sees the retirement of left tackle Taylor Decker. That alone could free over $18 million per year in cap space.
But that same money is being eyed for multiple needs:
- Rebuilding a declining offensive line
- Adding edge-rush help opposite Aidan Hutchinson
- And now, potentially, retaining the defensive signal-caller in the middle
The Lions must decide whether paying Anzalone aligns with a future that is increasingly being built around youth.
The Hidden Cost of Letting Him Walk
There is no animosity here. No drama. No bitterness.
But context matters. Anzalone already restructured his deal last offseason, playing 2025 on a fully guaranteed $6.25 million after seeking a new contract. He has earned just under $26 million across his entire career — hardly the financial haul of a player with his workload.
Letting him leave wouldn’t just mean losing a linebacker. It would mean losing:
- The defense’s on-field organizer
- A veteran voice in a young locker room
- A player Dan Campbell has built around culturally
There’s no easy replacement for that.
A Defining Offseason Choice
Detroit is no longer just trying to get better — they’re trying to stay relevant in a tightening NFC North. Every dollar will be scrutinized. Every contract will be a referendum on philosophy.
Re-sign Anzalone, and you double down on continuity and culture.
Let him walk, and you bet on the next wave arriving faster than expected.
Either way, the warning signs are flashing.
The league is circling.
And one of Detroit’s most trusted defenders may be closer to the door than anyone anticipated.