Detroit Lions‘ GM Brad Holmes signed Aidan Hutchinson for a 4-year, $180 million contract extension on Wednesday, with $141 million guaranteed. The latter being the most-ever for a non-QB. With Holmes pointing to the 25-year-old every time he was inquired about exploring the edge rusher market, the deal was long anticipated. But to think what really accelerated the process, NFL insider Ian Rapoport has the answer.

“A lot of people, including me, thought this deal might get done right before the season started,” Rapoport said in Wednesday’s episode of the NFL Network. “There was some thought of like, he’s good, he’s the best, but we just want to see him go out and do it and play. Hutchinson has certainly done that.”

The validation that he has truly returned stronger from his 2024 Week 6 season-ending lower leg injury came early.

Late in the fourth quarter in the Lions’ Game 2 blowout win over the Chicago Bears, with the hosts leading 45-14, the Michigan alum broke through to sack QB Caleb Williams, his first of the 2025 season. Then, he ran home and, with his arms wide open, soaked in the love that Ford Field poured on him.

Sacks are an edge rusher’s currency in the NFL, but Hutchinson has done so much more.

Starting all seven games this season, according to PFF, Aidan Hutchinson is fifth in the NFL with 7 sacks. But he is also leading the league with 4 forced fumbles and 48 total pressures. Entering Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, Pro Football Reference records 16 tackles (11 solo), 1 fumble recovered, and 1 pass defended in his name.

He was already the face of their defense, but he has also aptly adapted to the Lions’ new defensive strategies.

Case in point, their Week 6 game against the Kansas City Chiefs: On a 2nd & 8 play, when the DE returned to the game with 8:23 remaining in the second quarter, he displayed the team’s latest strategy on full display. With Patrick Mahomes still figuring out who to pass the ball to, the Lions’ No. 27 pressured the QB while also going against the KC Chiefs TE Noah Gray.

Hutchinson continued his streak of five straight games with a sack, setting a single-season franchise record and bringing his total to 6.0 then. All the commentators could say in awe was how the homegrown talent was making a good living snatching the ball out of QBs’ hands.

No wonder he received the big check deal.

Among the top non-QBs, Green Bay Packers LB Micah Parsons ($46.5M a year) has a higher average salary than the Lions DE. Undoubtedly, Hutchinson’s return has re-established confidence within Detroit’s defense. The pass rush has improved overall as Detroit’s defense is averaging 3.3 sacks per game, which is tied for third-most in the league.

“There isn’t a big enough number to put a value on how important the DE is to Detroit’s defense,” Campbell said upon hearing the news. “The number of things that he’s able to do for us in the run and the pass game, man, it takes up. He pulls a lot of slack, man. He’s in that rare world of, man, you don’t get the easy way out.”

According to Holmes, the contract discussions had already started during the NFL Combine earlier in February. However, he had revealed in August that the two parties hadn’t started intense negotiations. It was not unknown that the Lions wanted to keep him, and Hutchinson wanted to stay at home, too.

However, while one of the contract decisions has been made, the Lions are still stuck with many more in the near future. Yet, they keep on track when it comes to their budgeting.

Lions’ financial stability among the important decisions

General manager Brad Holmes continued his trend of rewarding cornerstone players with major long-term contracts. Holmes locked in three more players to deals worth over $100 million. Quarterback Jared Goff signed a four-year, $212 million extension in 2024, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal, and offensive tackle Penei Sewell committed to a four-year, $112 million contract.

Despite Aidan Hutchinson’s record-setting deal, the Lions maintain a healthy salary cap position. According to Over the Cap, Detroit projects $284.2 million in total liabilities and retains $26.8 million in cap space for 2027, based on a $311 million league cap. In 2028, the team expects $265.6 million in liabilities and keeps $61.4 million in cap space with a $328 million league cap. For 2029 and 2030, the Lions are projected to carry liabilities of $129.7 million and $124.1 million, respectively.

Now, with Hutchinson playing his best game, expect the Lions’ DE to have another good season. Detroit faces the Vikings this weekend.