Alex Anzalone didn’t roll into Lions camp without some baggage. All offseason, there were whispers about his contract, his fit in Detroit’s shifting defense, and whether he’d still be “that guy” in the middle. This was supposed to be his chance to shut all the doubts down. To remind everyone that he’s the vet holding things together. But so far? The training camp isn’t making him look good.

Sure, getting cooked by Amon-Ra St. Brown or even Jared Goff in camp is basically a rite of passage at this point. Absolutely no shame in that. But this? This wasn’t that. This came from somewhere else. From someone younger, hungrier. A 23-year-old  weapon who had no business making it look that easy against a guy with almost 100 NFL starts.

Dan Campbell and OC John Morton have been sneaky this camp, experimenting with a heavy two-back set with Jahmyr Gibbs not just running the ball, but lining up out wide as a legit receiving threat. And he effortlessly broke free on a route, leaving Anzalone gasping for air as he caught the pass from Jared Goff. Lions’ Syndicate‘s host perfectly summed up the mismatch. “Alex did pretty good considering he did not stand a chance. Alex is trying, he could not even keep up,” he said.

And he really didn’t. At least, that’s what it looked like. Getting outpaced is one thing, but he couldn’t even keep up. There wasn’t any footwork involved either. All it took for Gibbs was running a straight route to leave Anzalone behind. That’s going to be a problem.

He’s a cornerstone of this franchise, no doubt about it. He came into this training camp with 63 combined tackles and a 2024 Pro Bowl alternate nod over 57 starts in Detroit. But things got murky this offseason. Anzalone’s contract questions popped up, and a hamstring issue slowed his return to the field. Now, even though he’s passed his physical and is back at practice, something still looks off. The burst, the coverage speed, it’s just not there.

The result? Anzalone’s been on and off the field with limited opportunities. And when he is out there, he’s struggling with cross-field agility and looks a step slow diagnosing routes. Meanwhile, guys like Zach Cunningham are quietly making moves. He’s flying sideline to sideline, moving sharp and smooth, and starting to earn more chances. While Anzalone’s still shaking off the hamstring rust, the competition around him is heating up fast. But one thing is sure: amidst Anzalone’s struggles, Jahmyr Gibbs is making a case of his own.

Lions have a new dual weapon

After two solid seasons with the Lions, Gibbs just keeps on elevating his poise. In 2024, he piled up 1,412 rushing yards and led the entire league with 16 rushing touchdowns. Add in 52 catches at nearly 10 yards a pop, and you’ve got one of the nastiest dual weapons in the game. Oh, and he tied the Lions’ single-season touchdown record with 20 total scores.

But if you’ve been watching camp clips closely, you know this isn’t just Year 3 Gibbs doing more of the same. Dan Campbell is lining him up in receiver drills, using pre-snap motion, and baking him into RPO looks that mess with defensive reads. The same kind of matchup that cooked Anzalone in practice? That’s exactly what the Lions are leaning into.

Let’s look a the bigger picture. If Gibbs keeps cooking linebackers in space and stacking reps as a legit receiving threat, it’s not just bad news for guys like Anzalone; it could shift the whole linebacker blueprint. The more teams lean into dual weapons on offense, the harder it’ll be to justify traditional three-down backers who can’t keep up in coverage. That’s insane to think about. And that’d astronomically plummet their market value.

And even with David Montgomery locked in, Gibbs might be setting himself up for a bag. It’s not just because he runs hard. In today’s NFL, teams are shelling out real money for guys who can do it all, and the Lions might already be looking at Gibbs as the kind of Swiss Army weapon you build an offense (and a contract extension) around. It’s saying a lot, but don’t be surprised if you see him become the highest-paid RB in the league. Soon!