Lions make Alim McNeill one of NFL’s highest-paid defensive tackles

The Detroit Lions are not messing around with their core young players.

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill became the latest Lions player to sign a long-term extension to stay in Detroit.

McNeill and the Lions have agreed to a four-year extension, according to McNeill’s agent, Mike McCartney. The deal is worth up to $97 million with $55 million guaranteed, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport and confirmed by the Free Press.

McNeill, a 6-foot-2, 315-pound defense tackle, is in his fourth season with the Lions after the team drafted him in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft, the first draft under general manager Brad Holmes.

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McNeill found playing time right away as a rookie, appearing in all 17 games and making six starts before starting all 17 games in his second year. McNeill’s third year in the league, 2023, was his breakout campaign, with the defensive tackle developing a knack for getting after the passer, even from his interior position.

Last year, McNeill had five sacks and six tackles for loss in just 13 games and became a dominant force alongside Aidan Hutchinson on the defensive line.

McNeill is the latest Lion to get an extension this year as the front office has shown it prefers to get in front of the deal rather than wait longer and pay more.

Since the end of last season, the Lions have given new contracts to Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker, David Montgomery and now McNeill.

The latest contract to McNeill comes just days after Hutchinson broke his left tibia and fibula on a nasty play against the Cowboys in a dominant 47-9 victory.

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