The Detroit Lions continue to lock up their guys early and often.

After signing running back David Montgomery to a two-year contract extension on Saturday, the Lions signed defensive tackle Alim McNeill to a four-year extension on Tuesday, his agent Mike McCartney, posted on X.

A source familiar with the negotiations told The Detroit News the deal is worth $97 million, including $55 million guaranteed. That makes McNeill the fourth-highest-paid defensive tackle in the league behind Nnamdi Madubuike (Baltimore Ravens), Christian Wilkins (Las Vegas Raiders), and Chris Jones (Kansas City Chiefs), all of whom are at least three years older than the 24-year-old McNeill.

McNeill is in the fourth and final season of his rookie deal. He was a third-round pick by Detroit (No. 72) in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has 2.5 sacks this season on 16 pressures. The Lions have now locked up six core pieces — including quarterback Jared Goff, Montgomery, offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown — since the start of last season. Three of the six extensions are from the 2021 draft class, general manager Brad Holmes’ first in Detroit, and the primary building block for the team’s current successful run. Sewell (first round, No. 7) and St. Brown (fourth round, No. 112) earned First-Team All-Pro honors last season.

McNeill is one of the few players whose development in the NFL has followed a linear trajectory. He took massive strides in his first and second years before enjoying a breakout season in 2023 (43 pressures, five sacks, 32 tackles) despite missing four games with a knee injury.

“When it comes to Mac, he was growing at a rapid pace last year until he got the injury when he was out like four games and whatnot,” Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said in the lead up to Week 1. “Then he played…in the playoffs, and you saw flashes of him being a dominant player.”

When Holmes broke the news of Decker’s extension during a training camp radio interview, he also dropped said that McNeill was among those next on his list.