Lions' Aidan Hutchinson shares warning for NFL coming off gruesome injury

As one unnamed AFC executive mentioned during a recent chat with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Detroit Lions pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson was well on his way to becoming at least a finalist for the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Award before he suffered gruesome fractures of his tibia and fibula in Detroit's fifth game of the campaign. 

During an appearance on the latest edition of the "With the First Pick" podcast hosted by CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson, Hutchinson offered somewhat of a warning to opposing quarterbacks regarding his recovery from what some feared last fall could become a career-altering injury.

"I'm exactly where I need to be, and every year I've been able to improve on my own physical attributes along with the mental ones," Hutchinson confidently explained. "So I feel like every year I take a step. Despite having that rehab this offseason, I feel like I'm in the perfect spot and exactly where I need to be going into Year 4. ... There's a lot more to come every single year."

The second pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Hutchinson tallied 21 sacks across his first two seasons before he recorded 4.5 sacks in Detroit's Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last September. According to CBS and ESPN, Hutchinson was leading the NFL with 7.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, 45 quarterback pressures and a 35.0 percent pass rush win rate when he went down on Oct. 13. 

While the Lions picked up the fifth-year option for 2026 attached to Hutchinson's contract earlier this offseason, they hadn't yet signed him to a multiyear extension as of the morning of July 10. Meanwhile, T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals are looking to land pay raises after Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett inked a four-year, $160M extension that included $123.5M guaranteed. 

Hutchinson may feel he has millions of reasons to bet on himself and wait to sign an extension as he works with new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. Sheppard was promoted from his role as linebackers coach after Aaron Glenn left the Lions to become head coach of the New York Jets. 

Hutchinson said during the podcast he's confident Sheppard will "put us players in positions to make plays" this fall, beginning with Detroit's Week 1 game at the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 7. Packers quarterback Jordan Love won't have to wait long to find out if Hutchinson is truly as good as new coming off his setback.