With free agency approaching, the Detroit Lions could be preparing to say goodbye to Alex Anzalone. The chances of Anzalone’s departure have grown over the past year, with a contract dispute last summer and a recent spat on social media. The biggest clue, though, was a report in January that he would be leaving Detroit to reunite with former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn with the New York Jets.
While the idea of Anzalone leaving isn’t new to Lions fans, there may be a holdup before the Jets can stitch his name on the back of a jersey. According to Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports, Anzalone’s market is developing, and the linebacker could even consider retirement with less than two weeks until the free agent market opens on March 9.
“Though I’m told both sides have a mutual interest in negotiating a deal, there is a market developing for Anzalone that could complicate a reunion between the linebacker and the Jets,” Pauline wrote. “Several teams have expressed an interest in signing Anzalone to a multi-year deal as the linebacker inches toward retirement. This means the Jets may have to pay above market value to reel him in.”
Alex Anzalone’s Options Are Piling Up Ahead of Free Agency
The latest news only complicates things if the Lions want Anzalone to return. Over five seasons in Detroit, Anzalone has become one of the leaders of the defense, collecting 490 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and three interceptions for the Lions. He also previously stated a desire to stay in Detroit before things went south as he sought a new contract last summer.
Anzalone didn’t get the contract, though, and while the Lions gave him a raise to fix the problem, it was a looming storyline as the 31-year-old made 95 total tackles with four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and an interception in 16 games last season. The report that he would wind up with the Jets was not a surprise, as he had some of his best years with Glenn as the defensive coordinator in Detroit, but it appears getting him to the Big Apple may not be as much of a lock as many believed.
Glenn is currently walking on thin ice after a 3-14 season in his first year with the Jets, and adding Anzalone could help a defense that became the first in NFL history to not record an interception over the course of an entire season. Anzalone could also be a culture-building player as Glenn continues to dig in New York. However, other options could bring more fruitful opportunities when it comes to competing for the postseason and, ultimately, a championship.
Perhaps a reunion with Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen could be more appealing as the Chicago Bears look to build off their division title in 2025? Maybe a team like the Kansas City Chiefs could offer more money and a chance to make a deep run in the playoffs? There could be other teams that have been unreported that could make a lucrative offer, and there’s the chance that after nine seasons in the NFL, Anzalone could decide to hang it up.
Of course, Lions fans wouldn’t be mad if he decided to return to Detroit. But with Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell locked into the starting roles, Anzalone may have to either take a pay cut or serve in a reserve role if he wants to come back. It’s a roadblock that apparently could prevent him from also reuniting with Glenn and could make his free agency – or sudden retirement – come to a surprising conclusion.