Alim McNeill May Face Uncomfortable Request from Detroit Lions

Could Lions use franchise tag on Alim McNeill?

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill (54) / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The market for defensive tackles has significantly skyrocketed over the course of the past three NFL seasons.

Players including Chris Jones, Justin Madubuike, Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence and Derrick Brown are each earning north of $20 million annually. Jones leads the group with a five-year, $158.75 million contract extension signed in March.

The Detroit Lions are now facing the dilemma of whether or not to match this market with 2021 third-round pick Alim McNeill. The N.C. State product has eight career sacks and has steadily improved over his first three seasons.

Now, with DJ Reader expected to have a huge impact next to him on the defensive line, McNeill could command a hefty extension at the conclusion of his rookie deal this year. If Detroit does not want to dole out a long-term contract at the high price he commands, the organization could elect to utilize the franchise tag.

The Lions last used the franchise tag on Ezekiel Ansah back in 2018.

Last season, the franchise tag value for defensive tackles was $22.102 million. With the increase in cap space last year, that mark will likely continue to increase ahead of the 2025 season. The team could still end up negotiating a long-term contract with the former 2021 third round pick.

General manager Brad Holmes indicated at his media session Thursday morning the talks with McNeill's representative are only in the "infancy stages" at the present time.

“He’s so focused on just playing and that’s it during the season. When I made that comment, it’s just, he’s a player that’s coming up that we want to keep around," said Holmes. "He’s been a darn good player for us. We haven’t had anything really intense going on, from a dialogue standpoint, but his camp knows we want to get something done. But it’s in the infancy stages right now.”

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