Lions extend budding star defensive tackle

The Lions experienced a huge loss when star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson went down for the year with a broken tibia this weekend. That might make Detroit a little more appreciative of who it does have on the defensive line. Perhaps that’s why the team decided to sign defensive tackle Alim McNeill to a four-year extension, per his agent Mike McCartney, keeping the 24-year-old in Detroit through the 2028 NFL season.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported some numbers for us, detailing that the extension will be worth $97M over its four-year period. McNeill will receive $55M guaranteed on the new deal. His new deal sets McNeill as the fourth-highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL in both total value and average annual value. He trails Chris Jones, Christian Wilkins, and Nnamdi Madubuike and just outpaces Quinnen Williams and Derrick Brown.

McNeill came to Detroit as a third-round pick out of NC State in the 2021 NFL Draft. He immediately found himself in the rotation as a rookie, starting six games for the Lions. By his sophomore campaign, McNeill was a full-time starter and by his third year, McNeill was establishing himself as one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

Despite missing four games last year, McNeill had a breakout season, recording career highs in sacks (five) and quarterback hits (10) while matching a career high in tackles for loss (six). As a result of his breakout season, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked McNeill as the seventh-best interior defensive lineman out of 130 NFL players graded at the position.

This year, McNeill has continued his elite level of play. With 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and four quarterback hits, McNeill is on track to set new career highs. PFF has reflected those efforts in its rankings this season, slotting McNeill in as the sixth-best interior defender out of 121 graded players in the league.

McNeill was a part of Brad Holmes‘ first draft class as the team’s new general manager in 2021. Holmes made a splash almost immediately with his first official act as GM being to trade longtime quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Rams in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-rounder. He followed that with an impressive draft class.

From that seven-player draft class, McNeill becomes the third to already have an extended contract, joining cornerstones offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. The class also contained second-round defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, who missed his entire second season with a back injury, but has become a reliable part of the rotation this year. Fellow third-round defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu contributed all over the field last season with two picks, eight passes defensed and three sacks, but he’s been stuck on injured reserve so far this year. Fourth-round linebacker Derrick Barnes has also become a consistent starter on the defense and is having the best season of his career.

The Lions are certainly getting the most out of their ample salary-cap space and seem to have an unlimited source of funds. Since April, Holmes and Detroit have extended St. Brown, Sewell, Goff, Taylor Decker, David Montgomery and now, McNeill. Players like Onwuzurike, Barnes, Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph remain as players eligible for extensions on the horizon. For now, though, Holmes and the Lions have done an incredible job of identifying key contributors and signing them to big deals.