The Detroit Lions have spent a lot of money this offseason extending key offensive players, and the next move could be on the defensive line.
On Thursday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes said the organization wants to sign fourth-year defensive tackle Alim McNeill to a long-term contract to keep him on the line, but those talks are still in the works.
“We haven’t had anything intense going on from a dialogue standpoint, but his camp knows that we want to get something done,” Holmes told reporters. “But, it’s very in the infancy stage right now.”
McNeill was one of the Lions’ finest defensive tackles last season. McNeill set career highs with 18 solo tackles, six sacks, and 23 quarterback hits in 13 regular season games and three playoff games. McNeill will have additional depth next to him courtesy to free agent acquisition D.J. Reader and Levi Onwuzurike’s return to health this season.
McNeill indicated at the start of training camp that he was not concerned about a prospective new contract and would let his representatives handle the discussions while he concentrated purely on football after Holmes revealed a Taylor Decker extension on local radio, implying that McNeill was next.
“Honestly, I told my agent not to talk to me about that,” she stated. “I am in training camp right now, so I am not thinking about it. I’ve must play well. I’m concerned about winning this year. Whatever occurs, happens.
Holmes stated that McNeill’s attention is visible to everyone in the building, and he recently addressed McNeill on the radio because his contract is scheduled to expire at the end of the season, and they want him to stay.
“He’s just so focused on just playing and that’s it during the season,” says Holmes. “And when I made that comment about, it’s just he’s a player that was coming up that we want to keep around and he’s been a darn good player for us.”
This offseason, the Lions handed out four huge contracts, beginning with All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell, who were both paid at the top of their position groups. Then, Jared Goff was compensated as one of the league’s top quarterbacks, and Decker received an extension at the outset of camp.
McNeill was a third-round choice in Holmes’ first draft class in 2021, and he has started every game when healthy for the past two seasons. All NFL rookie contracts are four years long, and only first-round picks have a fifth-year team option, which means McNeill will be a free agency at the end of the season if no new deal is reached.
However, McNeill is only concerned with one thing, not his contract.
“Win the Super Bowl,” McNeill stated. “That’s my only personal goal.”