What Aidan Hutchinson's extension means, and which pass rushers are getting paid next
DETROIT — The Detroit Lions signed defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a four-year contract extension worth $180 million that includes $141 million guaranteed on Wednesday.
Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 draft, has been a star for the team from day one. He finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting (behind the Jets’ Sauce Gardner) with a team-leading 9.5 sacks and followed that up with a Pro Bowl nod after an 11.5-sack season.
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He has become a foundational part of the Lions and locking him in for the long term ensures the franchise will have its best pass rusher for years to come.
Hutchinson joins quarterback Hutchinson is good. I mean, really, really good. Through his first three seasons, he has earned respect as one of the league’s top young pass rushers. Hutchinson, 25, became the first player in NFL history to register at least 15.0 sacks and four interceptions through his first two seasons and has yet to hit his prime. He was an early front-runner to win the Defensive Player of the Year award last season before suffering a gruesome fractured tibia and fibula injury in Week 6 at Dallas that sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He still finished with 7.5 sacks in 2024, the most through five games by a Lions player since 1983 (William Gay), per ESPN Research. Entering Week 6 last season, the former Michigan All-American also led the NFL in sacks, pressures and pass rush win rate even with the Lions coming off their bye week in Dallas. He was on pace to chase the NFL’s single-season sack record of 22.5 held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt and had a legitimate shot. Hutchinson returned from the injury and picked up right where he left off. Entering Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, he ranks fifth in sacks (6) and second in sacks created (8) and interceptions created (2), despite playing one fewer game than much of his competition so far. Since entering the league in 2022, he has averaged 3.6 QB pressures per game — the third most in the NFL over that span behind Micah Parsons (4.3) and Maxx Crosby (3.9). His play has earned the respect of past NFL greats at the position. “He’s just tenacious from a skill standpoint. He has a belief in himself,” three-time Pro Bowler Simeon Rice told ESPN. “He has a want to be great. You can look at that. He wants to make every play. He wants to make every sack. He wants to be special.” — Woodyard Hutchinson wasn’t the only key loss on the Lions’ defense in 2024. In fact, Detroit dealt with a litany of injuries, including McNeill, who suffered a torn ACL. The Lions had 21 players on the injured reserve list in December, which was the most in the NFL through that month. Despite the absences, the unit still managed to finish as the No. 7 defense and helped the team to its first-ever 15-win season. Hutchinson’s return has reinstalled confidence within Detroit’s defense. The pass rush has improved overall as Detroit’s defense is averaging 3.3 sacks per game, which is tied for third-most in the league. Helping that has been fellow defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad, whom the Lions signed to the practice squad last season. Muhammad has been a revelation thus far, ranking second on the team with four sacks (20th in the NFL) and ranking ninth in the NFL in pressure percentage. Hutchinson was the last of the three big extensions the Lions planned to reach with their 2022 draft picks, joining Williams and Joseph. Next offseason, the attention will turn to the star-studded 2023 draft class that included running back How good has Aidan Hutchinson been, and how does he stack up to the league’s top pass rushers?
What does the extension mean for the Lions on the field, and where does the defense stand now?
Which Lions are next to get paid, and why does the franchise have some tough decisions to make?
