The NFL offseason is filled with twists and turns, and one could involve Detroit Lions edge Aidan Hutchinson, who’s considered one of the team’s best players. Hutchinson suffered a broken left fibula and tibia during the Lions’ Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys, and up until that point, he already had 7.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 45 quarterback pressures.
All season, Hutchinson talked about the possibility of being healthy enough to play in the Super Bowl, but the Lions didn’t get there. Now, Hutchinson is being urged to not sign an extension with Detroit, at least not yet.
Aidan Hutchinson’s Future With Detroit
In a January 30 feature for A to Z Sports, NFL analyst and expert Mike Payton discusses Hutchinson’s situation and notes that his injury plays a role in his contract extension with the Lions.
“The Lions are expected to either use the fifth-year option or work up an extension with Hutchinson this offseason,” he states, adding that he worked with cap expert Joshua Queipo to come up with a prediction of what this extension could entail.
Payton and Queipo project a “four-year deal worth $110 million with $82.5 million guaranteed and 60.5 fully guaranteed. $27.5 million average per year.”
While that’s a good offer, Payton says that if he were Hutchinson, he would pass on that offer and take a fifth-year option. Before you go jump off a cliff, here’s Payton’s reasoning.
“The injury is going to play a role. We all want to act like it’s not, but it is,” he states. “Even though we know that the Lions have been trendsetters in the sense that they will make sure their players are paid over the market, he’s still not likely to get what he should get.”
He added that while fifth in APY is “good, it “could and should be first. But the Lions have to take care of themselves in case things go awry.”
Extend That Contract After Having a ‘Huge Season’
In a February 9 feature, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network discussed some NFL pass rushers and brought up Hutchinson. They noted that Hutchinson could be the “next to get paid big” in the league as he heads into his fourth year on his rookie deal.
Brad Berreman of SideLion Report agrees that waiting could be good for Hutch. In a February 10 piece, he says that the Lions haven’t been scared to “pony up and pay their own, and Hutchinson is next in line for a contract at or near the top of the market for his position.”
But, Berreman notes that Hutchinson has “two years of contractual control left, and by then the other edge rushers Rapoport and Pelissero mentioned will likely have their new contracts.” So, waiting could be good for Hutch, since “the top of the market will be higher a year from now, perhaps after Hutchinson has had a huge season in a full return to health.”
The top of market for edge rushers right now is Nick Bosa at $34 million per year, followed by Josh Hines-Allen ($28.25 million) and Brian Burns ($28.2 million).
