Lions starters Alex Anzalone and Amik Robertson on the move, accepting offers from NFC foes

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Allen Park — After five seasons with the Detroit Lions, linebacker Alex Anzalone is on the move. The longtime defensive captain accepted a two-year agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday afternoon, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

Multiple outlets are reporting the package is worth up to $17 million.

Minutes after the Anzalone agreement was reached, multiple outlets reported that cornerback Amik Robertson reached a two-year agreement with the Washington Commanders, worth up to $16 million.

Both deals can be made official Wednesday afternoon.

Anzalone served as a culture builder during this recent era of Lions success. Following coach Dan Campbell and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn from New Orleans, Anzalone initially signed a modest one-year deal with the team, eventually earning two more contracts from the Lions.

A five-year captain, Anzalone put his early-career durability concerns behind him in Detroit, delivering the best seasons of his career, including two campaigns with at least 125 tackles.

Anzalone sought another extension with the Lions this past offseason, hoping to finish his career in Detroit, but a meaningful offer never came. After skipping the voluntary portions of the offseason program, the team guaranteed the final year of his contract with a small bump in pay.

In 2025, Anzalone made 16 starts, recording 95 tackles, 2.5 sacks and a career-high nine pass defenses.

His departure could be part of a larger makeover in Detroit’s linebacker room, with only Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes currently under contract for the upcoming season.

As for Robertson, he signed with the Lions on a two-year, $9 million deal ahead of the 2024 season. He won the starting slot job out of that training camp, but nearly lost it early in the season. Rookie Ennis Rakestraw suffered a pre-game injury when he was set to start ahead of Robertson, allowing the veteran to put a stranglehold on the job.

Robertson would go on to appear in all 34 games the past two seasons, recording 20 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and an interception.

His departure seemingly clears the path for Rakestraw, entering his third season, to take hold of the nickel corner job the team envisioned him playing each of the past two seasons, before injuries derailed those campaigns.