Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn made it clear on Wednesday that he’s not expecting any of his players to “replace” Aidan Hutchinson after the star edge rusher suffered a season-ending injury. Hutchinson, who was having a breakout season, leaves a significant void in the Lions’ defense. However, Glenn emphasized that filling his shoes is not about finding a one-for-one substitute but rather utilizing the unique talents of each player on the roster.
“We Don’t Ask Guys to Replace Aidan”
Glenn explained his philosophy as quoted by Pride of Detroit: “We don’t ask guys to replace Aidan because everybody is his own man, and everybody has different traits and abilities. We ask those guys to be them.”
The Lions coach pointed out that every player brings something different to the table, and rather than trying to find a direct replacement, the team will look to maximize the individual strengths of those who step up in Hutchinson’s absence. Glenn also defended his players from any notion of disrespect: “The one thing that I’m not going to do and the one thing that I don’t want you guys to do is disrespect the guys that have been playing behind him or playing with him because those guys bust their ass too.”
“We Have to Be Like a Chameleon”
In terms of overall strategy, Glenn said the Lions won’t need to dramatically change their scheme just because Hutchinson is out. Instead, the team will continue to adapt week by week, ensuring they play to the strengths of the personnel on hand.
“Every week we put a plan together and the plan is about players,” Glenn said. “We do everything we can to put the players in the best position that we can to where it shows their strengths, and it limits their weaknesses.”
Glenn used an interesting analogy, comparing his defense to a chameleon. “One week we are brown, other week we can be yellow, other week we could be orange, but the guys that we have are smart enough to be able to do that.”
In other words, the Lions’ defense will continue to shift and adapt based on the talents of the players available, without expecting anyone to be Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions will need their defense to be flexible as they face tough upcoming matchups, starting with the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday.
