By Blessing 
As the Detroit Lions gear up for training camp, linebacker Alex Anzalone has subtly reignited conversation about his contract status through recent activity on social media.
Rookies have already reported to camp earlier in the week, with veterans scheduled to arrive in full by Saturday. Around this time of year, contract disputes across the league often reach a boiling point — especially since players under contract face fines for not showing up.
While much of the attention has been on potential big-money extensions for other key players, Anzalone’s situation has quietly become one to watch. His decision to skip voluntary offseason workouts didn’t raise many eyebrows at the time — he’s done that before — but now, entering the final year of his current deal, the context feels different.
Because the Lions aren’t holding a mandatory minicamp this year due to their participation in the Hall of Fame Game, we never got a true test of whether Anzalone would have shown up. With training camp now on the doorstep, the question looms: will he report on time?
Throughout the offseason, Anzalone has used social media to express a clear desire for a contract extension. His posts have hinted at growing frustration over the lack of movement from the team. To date, no credible reports have surfaced regarding active negotiations, raising the possibility that talks haven’t even begun.
Anzalone has been a cornerstone of the Lions defense. His absence last season due to injury was felt, with data showing a clear dip in performance during that stretch. Still, at nearly 31 years old, and playing off-the-ball linebacker — a position that often struggles to command high salaries — Anzalone may face an uphill battle for a lucrative deal. Complicating matters further, the Lions may be preparing to pass the torch to Jack Campbell, potentially their new on-field defensive leader.
On Friday, Al Karsten from Pride of Detroit shared stats highlighting last season’s “splash plays” — big-impact moments like sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions, etc. Anzalone ranked third on the team with 17. He reacted to the post, clearly paying attention.
Karsten later posted a league-wide ranking of linebackers by splash plays over the past three seasons. Anzalone came in 10th with 63, just one behind Fred Warner, widely viewed as the NFL’s best at the position — and Anzalone played eight fewer games. Karsten also noted that Anzalone’s $6.1 million average salary is the lowest among the top 10. Anzalone simply retweeted it — a silent, yet pointed gesture: “See? I should be getting paid.”
So the question remains: Will Anzalone take a stand and skip camp? That answer is coming soon.