Alex Anzalone might be one of the first casualties to Aaron Glenn's head coaching reign headed into the 2026 offseason.
Glenn, the New York Jets head coach for the foreseeable future, might be looking to poach a few Detroit Lions defenders this offseason as he rebuilds that unit from the ground up. After trading Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner at the deadline this year, Anzalone feels like a solid addition to a defense in need of a veteran face added back to the roster.
Of course, this comes at a major cost to the Lions' defense as they'd be losing a big part of their one-two linebacker punch between Anzalone and Jack Campbell. However, with their cap situation in 2026 looking shaky, and pricey, losing Anzalone seems like the most logical subtraction to their roster.
Anzalone could be walking out the door after Week 18
Anzalone has become a bit of an afterthought this season, with Campbell stepping up as the captain of the Lions defense. He hasn't had the same impact as he has in past seasons with Detroit, and some of the awkwardness with his fit began at the very start of the year.
He entered training camp as a non-participant seeking an extension, and he instead received a small adjustment to his 2025 contract year. That brought him back into the fold, but ultimately, it felt like a small consolation to keep him somewhat happy as the Lions prepared for the year. Now that their defense has stumbled to the finish line, it feels like that consolation has run its course.
READ MORE: Colin Cowherd said what no Lions fan wants to admit about Ben Johnson
The Jets feel like an apt fit for Anzalone. New York will have $90 million cap space headed into 2026, with a need to likely replace Quincy Williams. Williams just saw his brother shipped off to the Dallas Cowboys this season, so it's unlikely that he'll want to sign a new deal with the Jets after that perceived disrespect.
Lions fans are about to face some major music as it pertains to the version of this Lions squad. Anzalone has been around since 2021 - the dark days - and he's about to likely depart after this era of Lions football is all said and done. Rebuilding this Lions defense, as well as their offensive line, is going to take up much of the funding that could've gone to Anzalone had this season gone differently.