Lions, DT Alim McNeill agree to $97M, 4-year deal in franchise’s latest investment, AP source says

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Lions and defensive tackle Alim McNeill have agreed to a $97 million, four-year contract extension, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.

Detroit (4-1) plays NFC North-leading Minnesota (5-0) on the road Sunday in a potentially pivotal game in the division race and for playoff positioning. The Lions won the NFC North last season, their first division title in three decades.

McNeill is the latest player to land a long-term deal with the resurgent franchise, joining quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle Penei Sewell.

Lions general manager Brad Holmes drafted McNeill in the third round — No. 72 overall — in 2021 out of N.C. State and he has become one of the league’s top defensive tackles.

McNeill matched a career high with two sacks in a 47-9 rout at Dallas on Sunday. He had five sacks last season, the most by an interior defensive lineman for the Lions since Ndamukong Suh had 8 1/2 sacks in 2014.

Detroit needs McNeill to deliver now more than ever.

Aidan Hutchinson was put on injured reserve Tuesday, recovering from a surgically repaired broken leg that is expected to keep him off the field for at least four months. Hutchinson leads the league with 7 1/2 sacks and has 28 1/2 career sacks over 39 games in two-plus seasons.

The Lions also put defensive tackle Kyle Peko on injured reserve and signed defensive end Isaiah Thomas off Cincinnati’s practice squad.

Thomas had nine tackles in 10 games for the Cleveland Browns two years ago and had a season-ending knee injury in 2023. The Browns drafted Thomas out of Oklahoma in 2022 with a seventh-round pick, which was acquired from Detroit as part of a trade for quarterback David Blough.