Alex Anzalone just made Lions training camp even messier

As the NFL training camp officially began, some stars are already holding out, and others are frustrated with their situation. You can include Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone in the latter category.

The Detroit Lions entered training camp already limping. Head coach Dan Campbell dropped bombshell news on Sunday when he revealed that defensive tackle Levi Owunzurike will miss the upcoming season with a torn ACL injury. Their defense is stretched thin with defensive tackles Alim McNeill and Mekhi Wingo missing time due to their respective injuries. Don't forget, their star defensive end Aiden Hutchinson is returning from a broken fibula and tibia, too.

Then, to add insult to injury, Anzalone is currently not practicing as a result of a hamstring injury suffered during his conditioning test. He did speak to reporters, voicing his displeasure over his current contract. Anzalone is entering the final year of a three-year, $18.75 million deal, with no guaranteed money left. He’s made it clear that he feels underpaid and underappreciated. “I’m disappointed,” he told reporters, bluntly acknowledging frustration.

Alex Anzalone just made Lions training camp even messier

While Campbell insists Anzalone is sidelined with a hamstring injury, ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio suggests this could be an “old-school hold-in” tactic, where Anzalone is showing up but not practicing while waiting for a new deal.

"The old-school hold-in is, ‘Oh, I’ve got a hamstring injury, oh, I’ve got an arm injury, oh I’ve got a concussion, oh, my ankle hurts.’ Something subjective that allows the player to protect himself and not practice while he waits for his financial reward."

The Lions' other linebackers are also decimated with injuries. Derrick Barnes, who received a 3-year, $25.5 million extension this offseason, is still working back from a serious MCL/PCL injury. Third-year linebacker Jack Campbell, perhaps the next player in line for an extension, is recovering from a hip injury that sidelined him during OTAs.

While Anzalone insists he won’t miss games, and he still wants to retire a Lion, his future in Detroit is anything but certain. That is because the team will also face the pressure to extend Hutchinson and wide receiver Jameson Williams in the coming months.

This is the first time under Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes that they are dealing with a player voicing displeasure over their contract. It is the price you pay for winning. Every player believes their contributions to the team's success should be rewarded financially. Anzalone is no exception.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets rewarded. Every team has priorities, and the Lions have other players they must re-sign ahead of Anzalone, who turns 31 in September. Therefore, the Lions fans better prepare Anzalone to leave at the end of the season, even if they resolve whatever their differences are during training camp.