The Detroit Lions have some of their key players locked in for the foreseeable future, and they recently added someone else to the list. Aidan Hutchinson has agreed to an extension with the team, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapport.
“The Lions and star edge Aidan Hutchinson have agreed to terms on a 4-year, mega-extension, according to his agent Mike McCartney. Another star edge rusher paid,” Rapoport wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “That's a 4-year deal worth $45M per year for Hutchinson, with the $141M in total guarantees being the most ever.”
This should come as no surprise, as Hutchinson is one of the foundation pieces of the Lions' defense, and has returned from injury this season and made an impact.
With the extension, Hutchinson is now the second-highest paid pass rusher in the NFL behind Micah Parsons, and is among the group with TJ Watt, Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter, and Maxx Crosby.
Hutchinson has had a great young career so far. In 2022, he finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting and made the Pro Bowl in his second season, finishing with 11.5 sacks. He got off to a fast start in 2024, leading the league with 7.5 sacks through six weeks, but then suffered a tibia and fibula fracture that caused him to miss the rest of the season.
This season, he's picked up where he started, as he averages 6.9 pressures per game and has four forced fumbles. He ranks top 10 in the league in sacks and pressure rate, and he's helping the Lions cause havoc on opposing quarterbacks. There's no doubt that he will only get better as his career goes on, and Lions fans are probably ecstatic that he's here to stay.
The Lions have been rolling this season, and if Hutchinson and the defense continue to play at a high level, they could make a deep playoff run.
