Aidan Hutchinson #97 of the Detroit Lions.
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After the Detroit Lions falling to the Green Bay Packers, they're getting some tough words thrown at them, including on contracts.
They say that it’s impossible to win every game, so those who follow the Detroit Lions shouldn’t be too bummed about their loss against the Green Bay Packers. But, it’s hard. Anyone who has been in the Detroit Lions franchise for years, even decades, knows that this franchise has been through a lot. To go from the laughing stock of the NFL to almost making it to the big game felt really good, and the moment something goes wrong, it’s easy to lose hope. But, it’s just one game.
Even though it’s only a single game, the Detroit Lions are getting some backlash for their showing, of course. It’s not just the game itself that’s causing some callback against the Lions, it’s how they’re dealing with the contracts for some of their biggest players.
Next up, the Detroit Lions will play the Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 14, and hopefully they’ll be more prepared in future matchups, such as this one. For that game, they’ll be up against their former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, so they have to be ready.
Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams’ Detroit Lions Deals
On top of the game loss, the Lions have dropped some news that isn’t making people happy. The good end of things is that they’ve signed first-round pick Jameson Williams to a new deal, keeping him a Lion. But, they haven’t worked out a new deal with star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson yet.
“The Lions and star (wide receiver) Jameson Williams have agreed to a three-year, $83M extension with $67M guaranteed, multiple sources tell me,” noted NFL insider Jordan Schultz on Sunday. “Jamo is coming off a career year — his first 1,000-yard season with 8 touchdowns. One of the league’s premier young talents just got paid.”
So, that’s great, but Hutchinson is pretty much the one guy the defense is depending on this season. Without another star defensive end available, there’s no defense without Hutch. So, getting a deal done is crucial. That’s not to mention that the edge rusher market has gone up substantially lately, so the longer the Lions wait, the more expensive it’s going to get.
“Not good for either party,” one commenter said on X. “Come to the giants,” another said. “Certainly would’ve paid him before Jameson,” another commenter said.
Get a Deal Done with Aidan Hutchinson, Please
As of game time on Sunday, the Lions had not come to a deal with Hutchinson. As Ian Rapoport of the NFL noted in a post on X on Sunday, “TheLions and star edge Aidan Hutchinson are not expected to agree to terms on a new deal prior to the season, sources say. The negotiations have been professional and amicable, and Detroit has done deals during the season in the past. But not yet for Hutch.”
But, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, “Hutchinson and the Lions have had positive discussions about a new contract but aren’t likely to get a deal done before kickoff of today’s opener,” as NBC Sports explains.
Last season, Hutchinson started the season on a tear and performed extremely well. But, they he had a broken leg that ended his season. This season, he’s expected to once again be one of the best edge rushers in the league. But, the Lions likely will get this done, it’s just a matter of when.