‘Greater heights’ – Attention turns to $150million contract as NFL hero makes statement after gruesome injury
Detroit Lions pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson is back.
The 24-year-old has been a full participant at OTAs and told reporters that he has been medically cleared from his broken tibia and fibula that caused a devastating end to his 2024 season.
"I'm rolling with the boys now and it feels like I'm back to being myself again," Hutchinson said.
"I'm really looking forward to the season. I think this is the most excited I've been for OTAs in my life. This is the biggest hiatus I've had without playing ball, so I'm pumped."
Hutchinson is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract and had a strong start to the 2024 season and was an early frontrunner to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Despite missing the Lions' final 12 games, he finished with 7.5 sacks in 2024, the most through five games by a Detroit player since William Gay in 1983.
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By Week 6, he led the NFL in sacks, pressures and pass rush win rate, and he was chasing the NFL's single-season sack record of 22.5 held by Michael Strahan and T.J Watt.
With his return to the field confirmed, the important business of a new contract is back on the horizon.
The Lions have the security of the fifth year option on the second overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft but have history of rewarding their young stars early.
Reports have claimed that Hutchinson is up for a lucrative deal that could land him around $150million and put him in contention to be the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL.
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"It does seem like, while there have been some talks and discussions, it seems like the Lions' move to pay him was waiting until he got fully cleared," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported.
"Now he is. So now they can really kickstart the conversations, really have those discussions about making him one of the highest-paid edge-rushers in the NFL."
Currently, San Francisco's Nick Bosa has the most total money among edge-rushers as part of his five-year $170 million deal.
However both Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby signed new deals so far this offseason - sending the edge market into the stratosphere.
Garrett reversed his decision to demand a trade from the Browns to sign a four-year $160 million deal that leads rushers in average annual value at $40 million.
Crosby's three-year extension has landed him more than $100million while Dallas Cowboys Micah Parsons and Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson are among the names expected to sign in the near future.
Those deals are likely to set a benchmark for Hutchison's deal, which Spotrac forecasts to be around the $30m a season mark, for now.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes is prepared for what comes next.
“It is what it is,” Holmes was quoted as saying by the Detroit Free Press at the recent league meetings when discussing the rising edge market.
“I mean, we had it in that range kind of already when we do our future planning and budgeting, but then obviously when it goes up it just goes up and that's just what you got to prepare for.”
Now, as Hutchinson prepares for the 2025 season, he is confident that he can not only slot right back in but reach new levels.
"I think a lot of people believe that that is kind of my ceiling, but I still believe that I'm gonna continue to push for those greater heights," Hutchinson said.
"I'm 24, I'm still a young dude and I don't think that's the peak."
It's been a draining off season for the Lions, who were beaten in the Divisional Round last season.
Coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn have departed for head coach roles, meaning Hutchinson will have a new defensive coordinator to work with, in Kelvin Sheppard, and he's already been impressed.
"Watching the defense, it was inspiring," Hutchinson said.
"There's dudes rolling out there that it was like, I'm sure y'all didn't even know their names and my coach was like, 'Dude, I got guys out there that just got here three days ago.'
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"But to see the way they played is a testament to [Glenn] and a testament to those guys buying into what we were doing, and as far as if I was gonna play in the Super Bowl? I guess we'll never know."
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