Grading Lions Bringing Back LB Alex Anzalone
The Detroit Lions' current regime has emphasized cultivating its own talent and rewarding players who produce on the field.
After a sluggish start to his season in 2022, veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone put together a solid stretch of football in the second half of the season.
Detroit's front office rewarded the sixth-year NFL linebacker with a contract extension worth up to $18.75 million over the next three NFL seasons.
Last season, Anzalone recorded a career-high 1,080 defensive snaps and 125 tackles in Aaron Glenn's defensive scheme.
The 28-year-old received credit from the coaching staff for having the best season of his career, but for also playing a part in expediting the development of young linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez.
“Back probably after the third game, and everybody was praising Malcolm, I made the comment that Alex had a lot to do with how fast Malcolm is playing. Because a lot of times, that’s the guy who is getting the car started, so to speak. He’s getting everybody lined up, making sure guys are in the right position, making checks, going out of his way to make sure his teammates are in the right position on certain plays and checks we’ve had," Lions linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard said, via MLive. “And doing things he really doesn’t have to do, and he’s been doing this since day one. He was doing it last year, but this year, we’ve just gone to another level with that player.”
Moving forward, the team is expecting the defense to play a significantly larger role in contributing to wins, as expectations have certainly been elevated.
“I‘m a firm believer, being part of something that’s trying to be built here. We’re going to build something great here, and I want to be a part of it when it happens," said defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs. "I didn’t want to go into free agency wondering about where I was going to be, where I was going to end up. When Detroit called me and they said, ‘We want you back,’ I wanted to be back. I always wanted to be back, and I’m glad we made that happen.”
Despite not making a significant amount of splash plays, Anzalone represents what the new Lions culture is about -- a "Dan Campbell" guy as some would describe the 6-foot-3, 235 pound linebacker.
Grade: B
