PFF misses on obvious choice as Lions' biggest x-factor for 2025 season

The Detroit Lions have a roster packed with talent, so there are plenty of players capable of stepping up and making a major impact when the season begins.

When it comes to under-the-radar stars, the Lions have seen many rise up in different years to provide an unexpected contribution. Usually, you wouldn't expect a star player to be identified as one of these personalities given the consistency they provide.

Still, ahead of 2025, Pro Football Focus analysts Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman recently singled out Hutchinson as their biggest x-factor for the Detroit roster.

"Hutchinson is the key to the Lions’ entire defense. They have plenty of talent in the secondary. Jack Campbell is emerging as one of the best linebackers in football. Hutchinson, though, is their foremost player. He played in just five games yet still tied for the team lead in the regular season with 45 pressures. He was carrying an unprecedented 38.6% pass-rush win rate at the time of his injury. Hutchinson’s health and return to form is one of the biggest stories across the entire NFL."

Hutchinson coming back healthy would be a big deal, and there's been no indication his recovery hit a snag this offseason. That would make him returning to produce at the level the Lions are used to an expected development. This makes his him more of a factor than an x-factor for 2025.

Terrion Arnold stands out as clear x-factor for 2025 season

While Hutchinson's return to elite form would mean a great deal to the defense, it seems he is off to a fantastic start in terms of getting back to the kind of production that fans expect. Already, he's speaking as if he is a player who expects another All-Pro year.

In Arnold, the Lions have a player few fans have high expectations for this coming season. During 2024, the rookie cornerback struggled with penalty issues and had a modest statistical impact, putting up 60 tackles with no interceptions.

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This offseason, Arnold has been working hard to improve and is also saying the right things as it relates to evolving as a team leader. Despite that, thanks to his rookie struggles, many fans are already chalking Arnold up as a lost draft selection, which is a mistake early in his career,

If Arnold bounces back as expected and has an elite season at cornerback, that would be huge news for the defense, considering some of the ups and downs that position has recently seen. It makes him the team's true x-factor performer for 2025.

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