5 Detroit Lions players who will not be back in 2023

3. LB Alex Anzalone

Anzalone was across the board awful in 2021, and he has been better at times this year. But on practically any team other than the Lions, he would not be a starting linebacker. Given the choice between he and Jaylen Reeves-Maybin in free agency last March, Detroit chose to keep Anzalone based on being cheaper and someone they liked the intangibles of as the “green dot” defensive play caller.

But Anzalone only came back on a one-year deal last offseason. The Lions drafted his eventual replacement (Malcolm Rodriguez) last April. And with more moves to possibly come to add linebackers, and others who will be around (Derrick Barnes), Anzalone may simply find a better opportunity somewhere else when he hits he market in March.

Anzalone is the dictionary definition of a stop-gap. Ideally, the Lions won’t have major gaps in their linebacking corps as they look to 2023 for him to fill with significant snaps. Experienced backups are important to have, but Anzalone shouldn’t be back in a Detroit uniform next year.