The Detroit Lions officially absorbed another chunk of future salary-cap weight this week.

As of February 14, the contracts of linebacker Alex Anzalone and defensive tackle D.J. Reader were formally voided, locking in additional dead money on Detroit’s 2026 salary cap.

How Much Dead Cap Are the Lions Carrying?

With both contracts now voided, the Lions are currently carrying $9,287,290 in total dead cap for 2026, ranking 17th in the NFL, according to Spotrac.

Anzalone and Reader alone account for $4,929,000 of that figure.

Spotrac summarized the situation clearly:

“The contracts of DL D.J. Reader & LB Alex Anzalone are set to void today, leaving behind $4,929,000 of dead cap in 2026. The 31-year-olds should each draw solid interest on the open market next month.”

What a Voided Contract Actually Means

While the term “voided” can sound alarming, it does not mean either player is immediately free to sign elsewhere.

• Both players will officially become unrestricted free agents on March 11, when the new league year begins
• Detroit can begin negotiating with them on March 9, during the NFL’s legal tampering window
• The dead cap charges are locked in, regardless of whether either player returns

In other words, even if the Lions re-sign Anzalone, Reader, or both, the dead money cannot be removed or adjusted.

Detroit Still Has Options

Despite the cap hit, Detroit isn’t boxed into losing either player.

• Alex Anzalone remains a core leader on defense and a trusted voice in the locker room
• D.J. Reader brought interior toughness and experience to the defensive line

General manager Brad Holmes can still work out new deals if both sides see mutual value—just with the understanding that the cap consequences are already baked into the 2026 books.

Bigger Picture: Cap Management, Not Panic

This type of cap maneuvering is common for competitive teams pushing windows forward. The Lions knew these charges were coming, and they were planned accordingly.

While the numbers sting on paper, they don’t signal trouble—just the cost of doing business as Detroit balances roster continuity with long-term flexibility.

The post Contracts of Two Detroit Lions Void, Adding to 2026 Dead Cap Total appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.

Every offseason, the same question pops up around the NFL: Who’s getting franchise-tagged? And for the Detroit Lions, it’s a fair thing to wonder, especially with several familiar veterans headed toward free agency.

But when you dig into the numbers and the context, it becomes pretty clear why the franchise tag is more theory than reality for Detroit this year.

The Lions Do Have Tag-Eligible Veterans

If general manager Brad Holmes wanted to use the franchise tag, he wouldn’t be short on candidates. Three veterans from the 2025 roster stand out as logical possibilities based on role and experience:

• Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad
• Linebacker Alex Anzalone
• Defensive tackle D.J. Reader

All three played meaningful roles for Detroit and all three are set to hit the open market. In a vacuum, keeping any — or all — of them would make the roster better.

That’s where the vacuum ends.

The Franchise Tag Comes With a Catch

The problem isn’t player value, it’s price.

The franchise (and transition) tag doesn’t care what a player’s true market value is. It automatically bumps them into the upper tier of salaries at their position, which means a massive raise compared to what each of these players is projected to earn in free agency.

For a team swimming in cap space, that’s manageable.
For the Lions? Not so much.

Detroit is currently projected to be over the cap heading into the 2026 offseason. That reality alone makes the franchise tag a tough sell.

Using it would require additional moves just to get compliant — and then you’re still committing top-of-market money to a player whose expected free-agent deal likely comes in much lower.

Why Holmes Is Unlikely to Overpay

Brad Holmes has been consistent since arriving in Detroit: he doesn’t overextend financially just to keep a name around.

Tagging Muhammad, Anzalone, or Reader would almost certainly qualify as a MAJOR overpay relative to their expected contracts. Even though each player brings value, the cost of the tag would limit flexibility elsewhere — and Detroit has bigger-picture decisions to make across the roster.

This is especially true with younger players approaching extension windows and premium positions still needing attention.

Smart Cap Management Over Splashy Moves

Could the Lions technically use the franchise tag? Sure.

Will they? Almost certainly not.

Detroit’s approach is more likely to involve:

• Letting the market set prices
• Negotiating team-friendly deals where possible
• Being willing to move on when the numbers stop making sense

It’s not flashy, but it’s exactly how this front office has helped turn the Lions into a perennial contender.

In short: don’t expect a franchise-tag headline out of Allen Park this spring. The math — and the philosophy — just doesn’t support it.

The post 3 Players the Detroit Lions COULD Use the Franchise Tag on in 2026 appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.