Aidan Hutchinson likely benefits from delayed deal
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Aidan Hutchinson likely benefits from delayed deal
Aidan Hutchinson has two years remaining on his first-round rookie deal. The Lions already have missed the window they’ve established in recent years for rewarding key players who became eligible for second contracts. The problem is the serious leg injury suffered by Hutchinson in 2024. The fact that the Lions moved quickly with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, and Kerby Joseph shows that they’re aware of the connection between time and money. But one of the sad realities of the NFL is that a key employee’s true and genuine desire to stay can be used against the employee.
With so much focus on whether and when Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt, and Trey Hendrickson will get new deals from the Cowboys, Steelers, and Bengals, respectively, it’s easy to forget that Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is due for a new deal, too.
But no one is talking about it, largely because Hutchinson isn’t talking about it. His press conference during the offseason program included no questions about his contract status — even though the Lions already have missed the window they’ve established in recent years for rewarding key players who became eligible for second contracts.
During draft week in 2024, the Lions gave market-level deals to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and tackle Penei Sewell. During draft week in 2025, the Lions gave a market-level deal to safety Kerby Joseph. For Hutchinson, it’s been crickets.
And while Hutchinson has two years remaining on his first-round rookie deal, Sewell got his second contract as a first-round pick with two years left.
The problem is the serious leg injury suffered by Hutchinson in 2024. The Lions presumably want to be sure he’ll be back to where he was before assuming the financial risk that he possibly won’t be. Hutchinson, in turn, should want his financial reward before assuming the risk of a new injury.
Delay will only make it more expensive for the Lions. The Parsons, Watt, and/or Hendrickson deals will push the floor higher and higher for Hutchinson. The fact that the Lions moved quickly with St. Brown, Sewell, and Joseph shows that they’re aware of the connection between time and money.
Through it all, Hutchinson isn’t saying anything. And that’s his prerogative. He’s from Detroit. He passes the exit for his high school on the way to work every day. He surely wants to stay with his hometown team.
But one of the sad realities of the NFL, and most businesses, is that a key employee’s true and genuine desire to stay can be used against the employee. They’ll lowball the employee. They’ll wait too long to realize they need to take care of the employee. And the employee who isn’t making a fuss quite possibly will wake up one day and decide to opt for different grass, regardless of whether it’s greener.
The CBA gives the Lions the upper hand. They hold his rights for two more years, and then they can apply the franchise tag for at least another two. Hutchinson’s willingness to go along goes a long way toward the team’s ability to have its cake and not pay it.