Detroit Lions: 'Zero concern' with Alex Anzalone's offseason absence amid contract issues
Kacy Rodgers won a Super Bowl five years ago as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Detroit Lions' new defensive line coach said the hunger and commitment he sees from the team this offseason resembles his time with the Bucs in 2020.
'It's the offseason and everybody's here,' Rodgers said.
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Well, not everybody.
Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone is not taking part in the team's formal offseason program this spring.
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) signals a Minnesota Vikings false start during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025.
INJURY UPDATE: Lions 'elated' for Aidan Hutchinson's return from injury: 'That's how I know you're back'
Workouts are voluntary and Anzalone has spent part of his past springs as a Lion at home in Florida, including last year.
But the veteran linebacker has made veiled references to his value as a player on social media in recent weeks, raising questions about his contract — he's due $6 million in base salary and has $100,000 total in per-game roster bonuses this fall — and future in Detroit.
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Lions linebackers coach Shaun Dion Hamilton declined comment on Anzalone's absence this week, and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said he has 'zero concern' about Anzalone being away from the team.
'Me and Alex are all good,' said Sheppard, Anzalone's position coach the past four years. 'I have zero concern. That player is a leader here and he's been a leader here, he's been an intricate piece in building the culture that's here and I'm going to pay the respect that he's earned and that he's due, and whatever his private situations are, I'll let Alex address those when he's face-to-face with you all.'
Anzalone has been one of the Lions' best and most dependable defensive players since he signed as part of the team's first free-agent class under general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell in 2021.
He set career highs in tackles three straight seasons (2021-23), going from 78 to 125 to 129, and the Lions defense struggled when he missed six games with a broken forearm late last season.
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Anzalone returned to play with a soft cast on his forearm in the Lions' division-clinching season-ending win over the Minnesota Vikings and made a team-high 13 tackles in a playoff loss to the Washington Commanders.
TV TIME: NFL exec: Detroit Lions 'have played their way into bigger national television windows'
Anzalone, who turns 31 in December and played on one-year contracts his first two seasons in Detroit, recently posted a picture of himself working out on social media with the caption, 'Respect is due.' He also reposted old posts referencing the Lions' struggles while he was injured, and Yahoo reported he reposted comments from disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson with the caption, 'This.'
The Lions have re-signed several of their core players to long-term contracts in the past 13 months, including Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph and David Montgomery. They also inked Anzalone's good friend and fellow linebacker, Derrick Barnes, to a three-year, $24 million contract before the start of free agency.
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Anzalone is entering the last year of his contract.
Holmes said this spring the team mostly sat out free agency to save money to re-sign other recent draft picks in the future, including Aidan Hutchinson and Jahmyr GIbbs. Middle linebacker Jack Campbell, the 18th pick in the 2023 NFL draft, is eligible for a contract extension for the first time next year.
'I can tell you as far as the concerns with me, (his absence) has no effect with how I see Alex or how I view him,' Sheppard said. 'That is one of our captains, he's been one of our captains and I still see him as such.'
The Lions do not have any mandatory work on their schedule until training camp opens July 20.
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Dave Birkett is the author of the book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline."
Order your copy here.
Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alex Anzalone misses Detroit Lions workouts amid contract questions
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