The Detroit Lions are signing their star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a four-year contract extension, according to a social media post by Hutchinson's agent, Mike McCartney. The deal is worth $180 million and includes a $141 million guarantee, McCartney told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
There were some concerns about Hutchinson's ability to return to Pro Bowl form after he suffered a devastating leg injury against the Dallas Cowboys last season. However, he has answered the call with a team-leading six sacks and six tackles for loss through the first eight weeks of the season.
“What everybody sees is the quarterback hits, the sacks, the takeaway… all big things that are right in front of your face,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell of Hutchinson after the team’s Week Four win over the Cleveland Browns. “But I remind everybody the guy plays the run too, and those are the things that – I know for me – I take the most pride in watching… He doesn't take plays off. He's relentless. He's aggressive. He's violent. He's smart. He's disciplined. And it's just good to see him back playing at a high level.”
Since entering the league in 2022, Aidan Hutchinson ranks ninth in sacks by active players (34.5). What's more impressive is that he is the only player in the top ten who hasn't played 50 or more games since the start of the 2022-23 season.
Taken with the number-two overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Aidan Hutchinson was an immediate difference maker as he was named to the league's All-Rookie team. In 2023, he was named to his first Pro Bowl after recording 51 total tackles and 11.5 sacks. He looked poised to make a Pro Bowl last season before that leg injury against the Cowboys in Week Six. Now, he seems to be back to normal and is playing like a Defensive Player of the Year.
An obvious and smart move by the Lions
There was never really a doubt in anybody's mind that Aidan Hutchinson was going to sign a contract extension with Detroit. Even after the leg injury he suffered last season, it still felt like the Lions would at least sign him to a short, two-year extension so that he could get back to Pro Bowl form. Amazingly, he was able to bounce back in less than a year and once again is playing like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
The price tag of the extension might sound steep, but that is the cost of doing business with pass rushers in the NFL. The $45 million he will make annually is in line with what guys like Micah Parsons ($46 million), Myles Garrett ($40 million), and T.J. Watt ($41 million) are making. Unlike Watt and Garrett, though, Hutchinson is only 25 years old, so his best football is still ahead of him. Regardless, the Lions are probably cursing the Packers. If they didn't complete a sign-and-trade deal for Micah Parsons, then Hutchinson's contract extension would've probably had an average annual value of $40 million to $42 million, allowing them to save some money.
Now that Aidan Hutchinson has shown that he has fully recovered from the leg injury, this was a no-brainer signing for Detroit's front office. There is a premium on pass rushers in the NFL, and Hutchinson is one of the best in the league at getting after the quarterback. It's also worth noting that he will be playing next to a rising star defensive tackle in Alim McNeill, which will allow both guys to continue to grow and flourish.
At the end of the day, Aidan Hutchinson has been the best defensive player the Lions have had probably since Ndamukong Suh. They might have elite defensive backs like Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, but those guys are not nearly as important to the success of Detroit's defense as Hutchinson. After all, Hutchinson wasn't able to start in the 2025 playoffs, and the Lions got blown out by the Commanders 45-31. If Hutchinson had played, the result probably would've been a little different.
In recent years, nobody has been better at drafting and developing talent than the Detroit Lions. They've agreed to contract extensions with several key pieces before today, including Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Jameson Williams, Kerby Joseph, and Alim McNeill. Hutchinson is just another success story for general manager Brad Holmes and a perfect example of how teams should treat their best players.
