Last year, only three months after they became eligible for new deals, the Lions signed tackle Penei Sewell and receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to significant extensions during draft week. This year, will defensive end Aidan Hutchinson get his during draft week?
Team president Rod Wood opted not to go there when asked about it on Monday.
“No comment,” Wood said Monday during the pre-draft event at the Detroit Economic Club, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “He will be here the long haul, I can assure you of that.”
Although not talking about whether it’ll happen in the next couple of days, Wood seemed to be willing to express optimism that it will be done in time.
“We’ll start working on that,” Wood said. “And we have a track record of extending our own players, which we’ve done that recently with Sewell and St. Brown and [defensive tackle] Alim McNeill, and I think that Hutch is likely to be coming up soon.”
Here’s the problem. Hutchinson suffered a serious leg injury in 2024. He won’t want to carry the injury risk in 2025, although the Lions might be inclined to kick the can until it’s clear Hutchinson is good to go.
Hutchinson suffered a fluke injury while doing his job. He has every right to expect the Lions to set that aside and give him the contract he would’ve gotten but for the injury. Whether they’ll do it remains to be seen.
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