Lions keep Aidan Hutchinson on board with monster extension

The Detroit Lions have officially married themselves to the one of the top pass rushers in the NFL after agreeing to an extension with Aidan Hutchinson for four years . The deal, first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, comes after months of "amicable" talks between the two sides and after Hutchinson has proved he can remain healthy for a full season after a devastating setback in 2024.

Hutchinson, the Lions' top defender, has quickly become a huge part of their defensive identity. Without another powerful pass rusher in the fold, Hutchinson has been quickly bouncing back from his 2024 broken leg, already gathering up six sacks and four forced fumbles, which leads the NFL currently.

Detroit had a ton of work to do in order to keep him, Jameson Williams, and others in the fold with so many eligible extensions coming up. Now, they can shift their attention elsewhere on the roster with Hutchinson locked up for at least the next four years.

Lions extend Hutchinson on 4-year mega-deal, per Rapoport

Hutchinson is now one of several top pass rushers in the league to have received an absolute ransom for his services:

T.J. Watt: 3 years, $123 million
Myles Garrett: 4 years, $40 million per year, $123 million guaranteed
Micah Parsons: 4 years, $186 million
Aidan Hutchinson:4 years, number unknown.

It's the year of investing in your defensive front line, especially after witnessing the benefit of it in the Philadelphia Eagles' trouncing of the Kansas City Chiefs this past winter. With a star D-line, you can topple any star quarterback. That's, seemingly, the logic held by these teams investing heavily in the head of their respective trenches.

READ MORE: Detroit Lions draft picks in 2025, 2026 and beyond: Full list

Hutchinson was drafted by the Lions back in 2022 with the second overall pick, and he has flirted with Defensive Player of the Year honors thanks to multiple promising seasons with Detroit. His best case began brewing back in 2024, when he had 7.5 sacks through five contests. Of course, that year was cut short for him thanks to a broken leg.

2025 saw multiple pundits staking claims that Hutchinson would be the next man up for DPOY honors, further complicating an extension between himself and the Lions as his value was shooting up before he had even taken a snap on the year. But, both sides were eager to get something done, and now, Detroit moves on to try and take care of an extension for Brian Branch - another core defensive piece.