4 Detroit Lions who don’t deserve another season with the team in 2022

2. LB Alex Anzalone

On the surface, Anzalone had a decent first season with the Lions in 2021 after spending the early part of his career with the New Orleans Saints (78 total tackles, seven passes defensed in 14 games). He finished the season on IR, and while that alone is not a red flag there are others to point to him not being a Lion in 2022.

According to Pro Football Reference, Anzalone was credited with 15 missed tackles and a 16.1 percent missed tackle rate (roughly one missed tackle every six attempts). Pro Football Focus also graded him out as the second-worst Lion (on the entire team) in 2021. If there had been someone better or more proven to replace him, it would’ve happened before he started getting banged up. He played literally every defensive snap in 11 of the season’s first 12 games.

Anzalone did seem to hint at leaving the Lions in free agency via a January Instagram post, so maybe he sees the writing on the wall. The team should seek and find an upgrade on him at inside linebacker, and let Anzalone pursue other opportunities.