The Detroit Lions have been proactively securing their core players with contract extensions. This offseason, they’ve signed Jared Goff to a massive deal (through 2027, with an option in 2028), locked up Amon-Ra St. Brown through 2028, and inked Penei Sewell to a significant contract extending through 2029.
But who’s next in line?
That was the question posed to Lions fans in the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, and the results are in.
It’s easy to see the case for extending Alim McNeill, who is unquestionably a top-three defender on the current roster and has the potential to reach superstar status. The only real argument against extending McNeill is his potential price tag. As noted in the companion article:
“It’s worth pointing out that the top 20 defensive tackles averaged over $15 million per season, and the top 13 averaged at least $21 million.”
Here are a few insights from Pride of Detroit readers in the comment section of the original article. Note: some responses are lightly edited for clarity.
MystDragoon: “Alim is the Amon-Ra St. Brown of the defense. His flexibility opens doors for other players to get playing time and enables flexible game plans. He’s next.”
Sprtn66: “Alim McNeill, please. He was my draft crush that year. Now that the defense is becoming respectable, I don’t want to start letting foundational pieces go.”
positivebob: “ALIM. This guy will be a Chris Jones-level destroyer this year.”
JayBDet: “Alim and Decker, before they get any more expensive.”
While McNeill is the fan favorite for the next extension, Decker also received significant support. As one of the team leaders, Decker is in the final year of a major contract, and securing his stability would be incredibly valuable for the Lions.
Here are more fan opinions:
SwordOfIfeatu: “Decker. OL is very important for this team and it’s gonna be a bit for Gio to get going.”
DetSports: “Decker for sure. He hasn’t killed us on money and is as loyal as a puppy. And way above average talent who plays through pain.”
LeoninePride: “Big Deck. One year left and he said he’s still got a lot of gas in the tank. If any Lions player deserves SB success, it’s TD68.”
enelsoniii: “Decker. Longest-tenured player and tremendously underrated. Add 2 years and Manu gets a longer leash to learn. Decker deserves it both for performance and tenure/loyalty.”
