An offseason of the Detroit Lions of giving contract extensions to core players has extended into the season, with running back David Montgomery and defensive tackle Alim McNeill getting new deals within the last 10 days. McNeill's new deal (four years, $97 million, reported $55 million guaranteed) made him a top-five highest-paid defensive tackle in the league based on per-year average.
With Aidan Hutchinson out with a broken leg, the onus is on McNeill to pick up a lot of slack. The timing of his contract news might not be coincidental, but it was probably coming soon anyway.
As usual a few days after contract news breaks, we now have the deeper details of McNeill's contract extension.
A look at Alim McNeill's contract extension
Via Over The Cap and Spotrac, here's what McNeill's new contract looks like.
2024 (final year of rookie deal)
Base salary: $3,091,000 ($2,060,667 guaranteed)
Prorated signing bonus: $2,272,578
Workout bonus: $25,000
Cap number: $5,388,578
As noted by Over The Cap, McNeill's 2024 cap number increased by $2 million as a result of the extension.
2025
Base salary: $1,170,000
Prorated signing bonus: $2,000,000
Prorated option bonus: $2,966,000
Cap number: $6,136,000
2026
Base salary: $23,850,000
Prorated signing bonus: $2,000,000
Prorated option bonus: $2,966,000
Workout bonus: $150,000
Cap number: $28,966,000
Dead money: $6,000,000
2027
Base salary: $21,920,000
Prorated signing bonus: $2,000,000
Prorated option bonus: $2,966,000
Workout bonus: $150,000
Per game roster bonus: $680,000 ($40,00 per game
Cap number: $27,716,000
Dead money: $4,000,000
2028
Base salary: $21,420,000
Prorated signing bonus: $2,000,000
Prorated option bonus: $2,966,000
Workout bonus: $150,000
Regular roster bonus: $2,000,000
Per game roster bonus: $680,000 ($40,000 per game)
Cap number: $29,216,000
Dead money: $2,000,000
2029 (Void year)
Prorated option bonus: $2,966,000
Cap number: $2,966,000
Here is a more detailed breakdown of McNeill's deal from Spotrac:
- $28.06M guaranteed at signing (signing bonus + 2024 salary + 2025 compensation)
- 2025 Option Bonus: $14.83M (guaranteed)
- $20M of 2026 salary/workout bonus fully guarantees the 3rd league day of 2025 (injury guaranteed at sign)
- Additional $4M of 2026 salary + $3M of 2027 salary fully guarantees the 3rd league day of 2026
- 2027-2028 Per Game Active Bonus: $40,000 ($680,000)
- 2028 Roster Bonus: $2M (3rd league day of 2028)
- 2029 year automatically voids
So the originally reported $55 million in guaranteed money was right on the nose. The Lions can get out of the deal with palatable dead money one year into the extension, but more realistically two years in-not that it will come to that, since McNeill is on an upward trajectory as he establishes himself as one of the best defensive tackles in the league.
