Alex Anzalone got a raise from the Lions, but probably not the sort he was seeking.
After making clear his desire for a new deal, it appears Anzalone is settling for a restructured contract that will slightly increase his guaranteed money this season and give him a chance to make an extra $1 million if he hits some new incentives.
In other words: no extension for the Lions' four-time captain as he enters the final season of his deal.
The Lions adjusted Anzalone's contract to add $250,000 to his guaranteed $6 million salary this year, per ESPN, while also adding $750,000 in playtime incentives, per the Free Press.
The organization is prioritizing its future cap space for younger stars like Aidan Hutchinson, Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta, all of whom are slated to be free agents after next season. And with Anzalone turning 31 in September, the Lions are ready to turn over their defense to fellow linebacker and 2023 first-round pick Jack Campbell -- who will eventually need a new deal himself.
After signing a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Lions in 2023 right when the NFL's salary cap started to spike, Anzalone now ranks outside the 30 highest-paid linebackers in the league. He said last week that he feels underpaid at his position: "It’s kind of obvious, I think. Production, play, the market."
Anzalone, who returned to practice last weekend after being sidelined for the start of camp with a hamstring injury, went on to say that "I want to retire a Lion" and that he's "disappointed" the organization hasn't reciprocated his interest in an extension.
"I feel like I’ve (put the team first) a lot through my four years here," he said, "and I’m just in a situation where you want to be rewarded for that, at least in some regard."
In some regard, now he has been.