'Life's Good': Dan Campbell Addresses Potential Alex Anzalone Issue

The Detroit Lions have had two players not present for organized team activities, which began Wednesday.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone is presumed to be among that group, as he has not been photographed during the team's series of voluntary offseason workouts and multiple coaches have alluded to his absence.

Dan Campbell explained that the team is not concerned about long-term ramifications of the two players' absences throughout voluntary workouts, as both have been communicating with members of the coaching staff.

"I think what's great is any player that I talk to, I have a relationship with and there's an open line of communication," Campbell said. "Whatever I say to those players, I'm not gonna say to (the media). Never will. But their communication has been great, so I'm not worried about anything. I know this, we're in late-May, is it even June yet? We're not even in June. So life's good, man, we're gonna be fine."

Detroit concludes its first session of OTAs Friday, with the second session slated for June 4-6. Campbell did not confirm that Anzalone was absent, nor did he name the other player who has been absent.

"We only have two guys that are not here right now," Campbell said. "I know who they are, I know where they're at. I've talked to them, and we're all good."

Anzalone is entering the final year of a three-year, $18 million contract signed prior to the 2023 campaign. He has been a captain of the defense for multiple years and was one of the original additions made to the organization when Campbell first became head coach in 2021.

The former New Orleans Saint played the first two seasons in Detroit on one-year contracts before inking the three-year deal ahead of a 2023 campaign in which the Lions lost in the NFC Championship game.

In his time in Detroit, Anzalone has recorded 395 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two interceptions.

He's also emerged as one of the team's top leaders off the field, as the energy displayed in his return from injury in Week 18 of last season demonstrated the spark he brings to his group.

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