Did Aidan Hutchinson give Lions hometown discount by signing extension during season?

A report from earlier in October hinted that the Detroit Lions and star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson were "destined" to agree to a contract extension before the 2025 season wrapped up. 

It appears the two parties came to terms on an agreement during the Lions' Week 8 bye. 

How much will Aidan Hutchinson receive from Lions via contract extension? 

According to league insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Lions and Hutchinson have agreed to a four-year contract extension that is worth $180M with $141M in guarantees. Detroit previously picked up the 25-year-old's fifth-year option for 2026.

Pelissero added that Hutchinson received the most guaranteed money ever given to a non-quarterback. That said, there are reasons to believe Hutchinson may have left some money on the table by not waiting until the offseason to finalize a deal. 

In August, Micah Parsons reset the market for players at the position when he inked a four-year, $188M contract that included $136M guaranteed as part of the trade that sent him from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers. During this past offseason, Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns signed a four-year, $160M deal that included $123.5M guaranteed months before the Pittsburgh Steelers gave T.J. Watt a three-year, $123M extension that included $108M guaranteed. 

Why Aidan Hutchinson and the Lions can both feel good about extension

Logic suggests Hutchinson would've become more expensive for the Lions over the next couple of months. ESPN stats show that only six players tallied more sacks than Hutchinson (six) over the season's first eight weeks. 

As for why Hutchinson did the Lions somewhat of a solid by accepting an extension this fall, it's worth noting that he suffered gruesome fractures of his tibia and fibula in October 2024. Such a setback could cause any pro athlete to want to secure financial guarantees beyond the expiration of an existing deal. Hutchinson now knows he's staying with the franchise that drafted him in the spring of 2022 and with a team that is seen as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. 

The 5-2 Lions should have a newly-paid Hutchinson in the lineup when they host the Minnesota Vikings (3-4) this coming Sunday. As of Wednesday afternoon, ESPN BET had Detroit as a 9.5-point home favorite for that matchup.