The Detroit Lions just cannot avoid staying out of headlines for all the wrong reasons in the weeks leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft.
After a report from Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network revealed that the team had not made an effort to contact Taylor Decker about a pay cut, nor had they contacted him following his release from the team, a new report from Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press revealed that the team had asked Frank Ragnow for some of his signing bonus back following his retirement.
When you don't complete the terms of a contract, in any industry, it's anticipated that you'll suffer penalties. But, given the physical sacrifices that Ragnow made repeatedly for the Lions, it's hard to believe that they would go out of their way to get a small amount of money back from the legendary center. And yet, team president Rod Wood admitted to doing just that, per Birkett.
Now, former Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone is chiming in on the decision, going pretty hard at the Lions for having asked for this money back from a former cornerstone:
Played through fractured throat, one week post meniscus clean up w/ stitches barely out, inoperable/unrepairable toe, etc.. “Hey let me get that prorated signing bonus back” 😂😂😂
— Alex Anzalone (@AlexAnzalone34) March 31, 2026
Do business as business is being done https://t.co/itr9jxhrqP
Anzalone goes after Lions after Frank Ragnow signing bonus bombshell
Anzalone left on a bit of a sour note with the Lions, too, having not been able to get a contract extension done with the team following a small stalemate during training camp between himself and the team. He finished up his 2025 season with pretty so-so production compared to Jack Campbell, who is likely set to get a payday from Detroit.
Still, he does have a point here. Ragnow had played through a fractured throat, an injury that sounds so uncomfortably gruesome that it makes you clear your own out of habit. That, coupled with the other injuries mentioned by Anzalone in that post, make you really wonder why Detroit couldn't live without a few million dollars back from such a tough team player.
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Obviously, they've been planning for a tight budget with how little they moved on the free agency market ahead of the draft and several extensions due for cornerstone players. So, them seeking some bonus money back from Ragnow is not only commonplace for them, but lines up perfectly with how they've operated since the 2025 season ended: cheaply.
This continues to be a bad look for Detroit as they seek to get back to the postseason with a competitive roster on the margins. Assuming they look to add some more star power in 2027 and beyond, it might be more difficult to attract talent given these numerous disgruntled former employees.