Aidan Hutchinson signed a contract extension and will now be the face of the Detroit Lions for the foreseeable future.
Former No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson just made history with his new contract extension. Hutch put pen to paper and signed a 4-year extension worth $180 million, $141 million of it guaranteed. That guaranteed amount is the most ever for a non-quarterback.
It's a well-worth it investment. Hutchinson has been a menace since arriving in Detroit. He has 65 quarterback hits, 30 tackles for loss and 28.5 sacks in 39 games over the past three seasons. Those numbers would be even more impressive had he not missed the bulk of the season last year with a broken leg. Still, Hutch is one of the best defenders in the league and now he's locked in as a Detroit Lion until at least 2030.
The Lions have been busy extending their top players over the past year or two and Hutch was perhaps at the top of that list before his injury. Now that he's back and maybe better than ever, the time was now to get him locked in.
This is a move the Lions had to make
Yes. It's just a no brainer. Hutchinson is on the field all the time. He's productive all the time. He's a great practice player. He's a great leader. He's just 25 years old and he's already got the captain's C on his chest. He's a local product, which might not matter all the time, but it seems like it does with him. It's just a perfect marriage.
The urgency now that he's back healthy and obviously the amount of the contract just speaks to the trust that the franchise has in him. They're showing him how important he is to the franchise. He just brings so much to the team, both on the field and off the field, in the practice facility, in the meeting room. He's the poster boy for what you want as the No. 2 overall pick and the best player on your defense. This deal, this amount, was pretty much a layup and a no brainer for both parties.
Is the big spending a change in ownership philosophy with this team?
The Lions have been owned by the Ford Family for a long time, but there's been different people in charge because they've just they've gotten older, less involved and even passed away. Current owner, Sheila Ford Hamp, seems to be going about it the right way, opening up the checkbook and paying people when they need to be paid.
In order to win at the highest level, there seems to be a few things every team needs and a dangerous pass rush is one of them. With Hutchinson in the fold for at least the next five years, the Lions have that. Other players have now been extended as well, which just proves the point even more — Miss Sheila is on a mission.
With so many key players signed, is this the year that the lions can finally pull it off and win a Super Bowl?
Every fan in the state of Michigan, everybody who grew up watching the Lions lose way more games than they won, is saying yes, and it's not hyperbole. They're good enough to win the whole thing. There's no doubt about it, but as we saw last year, it's about staying healthy. That's even more important once playoff football arrives. In the NFL, there's a lot of parity and every team can beat every team. They're all NFL players. They're all pros, and they're all really good. So when you get into the playoffs, it just goes up another level.
The Lions have everything that you have to have to win the whole thing. They have playmakers on all three levels of the defense. They have a veteran quarterback who is so in tune with the offense and weapons all around him in Jared Goff. Wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, as outlined above, are both extended and ready to win now. The two-headed monster in the backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery is the best in the league. The offensive line has changed but is held down by extended stars in Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell. It's all there.
So, yes. If the Lions stay healthy this year, and don't lose a major key to their success, they will win the Super Bowl. Book it.