The defensive end market reset on Wednesday when the Las Vegas Raiders gave Maxx Crosby a three-year, $106.5 million extension. The new money on the deal set a record for average per year for a defensive player ($34.5 million). It’s a huge move that takes Crosby off the table for anyone hoping for a trade, and sets the bar for several edge defenders due for a new contract—including Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, and…. Aidan Hutchinson.
The Detroit Lions undoubtedly want to give Hutchinson an extension at some point. While there’s no deadlines they have to meet and they have the fifth-year option to extend negotiations into 2026, the Lions have typically operated by getting extensions done early to avoid drama and get ahead of the rising markets.
But Hutchinson is an interesting case. He’s coming of a serious injury, and while he’s been everything the Lions have wanted through two-and-a-half seasons, there’s still a relatively small sample size to suddenly offer him a record-breaking deal. So today’s Question of the Day is:
Should the Lions give Aidan Hutchinson a market-setting deal this offseason?
My answer: Yes, and I wouldn’t think twice about it. Yes, the Lions could wait and see how Hutchinson responds to his broken leg and revisit negotiations next year, but that’s only going to eventually cost them as more and more edge defenders get their deal and push the market up.
There’s very little reason to believe Hutchinson won’t be the player he was after his injury. For one, his rehab is almost over already. He’ll likely have a full offseason to do the work he’s accustomed to doing, and we know his mentality will keep him hungry to be out there. Additionally, he’s been through a serious injury before. He suffered a broken ankle in college, and came back the following year to produce his best season yet and nearly win the Heisman.
Getting a deal done now is also important due to cash flow. Remember that next year, the Lions’ 2023 draft class becomes eligible for extensions. That’s Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch. Extending four players in one offseason requires at ton of cash upfront, and it will be difficult to format all of those deals in a way in which their cap hits don’t all escalate at the same time. If you include Hutchinson in that group, it feels like it’ll be nearly impossible to find extensions for all five players in a way that balances to cap hits in the future.
Because I have zero reservations about Hutchinson’s talent and ability to play at an elite level, I want this deal done as soon as possible, and I think he deserves just as much as Crosby.
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