The Detroit Lions did one big piece of business this past weekend, locking up Jameson Williams with a three-year extension worth up to $83 million. But now attention turns to their other 2022 first-round pick, Aidan Hutchinson, and things could get a little trickier.
Why Hutchinson’s Deal Is Complicated
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Lions have had “productive talks” with Hutchinson but no deal just yet. The hang-up? Micah Parsons’ monster contract has reset the entire edge rusher market, and Hutchinson’s camp knows it. Detroit can’t just hand out a middle-of-the-pack deal, they’re going to have to back up the Brinks truck if they want to keep their defensive cornerstone happy.
“The Lions got a contract extension done with 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams, but they still haven’t reached agreement with their other 2022 first-rounder, Aidan Hutchinson, on a long-term deal,” Graziano wrote. “They’ve had productive talks but no agreement yet, and considering the extent to which the Micah Parsons deal set a new bar for edge rusher contracts, it could get complicated. The Lions have a lot of incentive to get this done before next spring, when their stellar 2023 draft class — including Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch– becomes extension-eligible for the first time. Lions GM Brad Holmes has been talking since the spring about the tough decisions Detroit might have to make as it works to get its young stars signed long-term. The Lions have drafted almost too well for their own good.”
And honestly, they should. Hutchinson is the face of this defense. Even in his first game back from last year’s leg injury, he still drew constant attention from Green Bay’s offensive line. If you’re Brad Holmes, you don’t let that kind of player linger in contract limbo too long.
The Bigger Picture: Too Many Good Draft Picks?
Here’s the other wrinkle: the Lions have been drafting so well under Holmes that they’re almost a victim of their own success. That 2023 draft class, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, is about to become extension-eligible next spring.
That means Detroit will suddenly be juggling multiple potential top-of-market contracts all at once. Holmes even admitted months ago that tough decisions are coming. You can’t pay everybody top dollar, even if they deserve it.
Why Hutchinson Has to Be Priority No. 1
The Lions bought themselves time by extending Jameson Williams. That was smart. But Hutchinson isn’t the kind of player you gamble with. If this drags into next year, negotiations could get even more complicated, and more expensive.
At the end of the day, Hutchinson is the kind of guy you build a defense around for the next decade. He’s not going anywhere, but the sooner Detroit gets this done, the easier it’ll be to manage everything else.
Bottom Line
The Lions need to make Hutchinson’s deal happen sooner rather than later. Because once the Gibbs-LaPorta-Branch group comes knocking, Brad Holmes and company are going to have some very tough choices to make.
Recent Comments