The Detroit Lions are in a favorable financial position this offseason, meaning they don’t need to start releasing players to free up space for roster improvements in 2025.
As reported by Over the Cap, the Lions are projected to have a solid $43.9 million in effective cap space (the space available after accounting for at least 51 players and the projected rookie class).
In addition to strong cap space, Detroit boasts a talented roster with few glaring needs. Consequently, it’s not surprising if general manager Brad Holmes chooses not to make any cuts this offseason.
In a recent article listing nine potential cap casualties for the Lions in 2025, Pride of Detroit’s John Whiticar controversially included linebacker Alex Anzalone. Here’s his reasoning for considering Anzalone.
“The Lions have a pair of defensive starters with intriguing potential cap savings in the $4.8 million range,” Whiticar explained. “The Lions have some young players ready to step into starting roles, so they could save money while opening up a spot atop the depth chart. Jack Campbell is seen as the eventual leader of the linebacker corps, while Ennis Rakestraw has the talent to develop into a capable cornerback either on the outside or in the nickel.”
However, Whiticar continued, “The argument for cutting Anzalone and Robertson ends there. As we saw this past season, defensive depth is essential. When the Lions lost Derrick Barnes, it led to a larger role for Campbell, a role he proved capable of handling. With Barnes now a pending free agent, the Lions cannot afford to sacrifice additional linebacker depth. Anzalone played at a high level in 2024 as well. If his performance drops, they can let him go in free agency in 2026. There’s no immediate need to part ways with Anzalone this year.”
The other defensive starter Whiticar referred to was cornerback Amik Robertson, who is another player we don’t expect the Lions to cut. Robertson performed well last season, and with cornerback Carlton Davis set to be a free agent, the Lions have uncertainties at that position.
But back to Anzalone…
It’s highly unlikely the Lions will release him. After all, the Lions’ defense dramatically improved after Anzalone returned from injury, which underscores his value to the team.
Cutting Anzalone would create a significant gap at linebacker, one the Lions currently don’t have the depth to fill with players already under contract.
While the Lions do have Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes is about to become a free agent, and neither Malcolm Rodriguez nor Jalen Reeves-Maybin should be starting, as both would represent a considerable downgrade compared to Anzalone.
To further justify keeping Anzalone, his contract is favorable—he’s set to count for a cap hit of just $7.2 million in 2025. Cutting him would only save $4.8 million, but it would result in a $2.4 million dead-cap charge.
For the Lions to strengthen their defense in preparation for a Super Bowl run in 2025, releasing Anzalone would be a counterproductive move.
