Lions GM shares huge update on Aidan Hutchinson contract talks

Detroit Lions pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson recently insisted he has "been pretty hands-off" regarding discussions about a possible contract extension before the start of the 2025 season. 

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Lions general manager Brad Holmes indicated that he doesn't plan for Hutchinson to play on his 2026 fifth-year option, which is attached to his rookie deal. 

"We have had dialogue that has started, and so we’ll just kind of see where it goes," Holmes said about Hutchinson's situation, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "But in terms of the level of importance, yeah, that has not changed. Aidan’s very important."

The Lions locking down Hutchinson via a multiyear extension sooner rather than later could ultimately save the club money. Back in March, Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders received a three-year, $106.5M extension. Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns later inked a four-year, $160M deal that included $123.5M guaranteed after he requested a trade. The Pittsburgh Steelers gave T.J. Watt a three-year, $123M extension that included $108M guaranteed back in July. 

More recently, Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals accepted a revised contract that increased his salary to $29M for the final year of his current deal. According to ESPN's Ben Baby, Hendrickson could also earn an additional $1M for the upcoming campaign in incentives. 

Unlike those other pass-rushers, however, Hutchinson suffered gruesome fractures of his tibia and fibula during a game last October. While Hutchinson was leading the NFL in sacks, pressures and win rate at the time he went down, it's still unclear how the 25-year-old's body will respond to playing in regular-season games next month. 

For what it's worth, Holmes seems to believe Hutchinson will return to form.

"Nothing’s changed from our end in terms of the importance of getting something done," Holmes added about working something out with Hutchinson's camp. 

The best business decision for Hutchinson may be to play on his current deal and then work out an extension next offseason. Then again, what he experienced last fall could motivate him to offer the Lions a hometown discount — if it would provide him with some financial security beyond 2026.