What Aidan Hutchinson's extension means, and which pass rushers are getting paid next

DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions signed antiaircraft extremity Aidan Hutchinson to a four-year declaration hold worthy $180 cardinal that includes $141 cardinal guaranteed connected Wednesday.

Hutchinson, the No. 2 wide prime successful the 2022 draft, has been a prima for the squad from time one. He finished 2nd successful Defensive Rookie of the Year voting (behind the Jets' Sauce Gardner) with a team-leading 9.5 sacks and followed that up with a Pro Bowl motion aft an 11.5-sack season.

He has go a foundational portion of the Lions and locking him successful for the agelong word ensures the franchise volition person its champion walk rusher for years to come.

Hutchinson joins backmost Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, violative tackle Penei Sewell, antiaircraft tackle Alim McNeill, information Kerby Joseph and wideout Jameson Williams connected the database of Lions who person received extensions the past 2 years. All but Goff are homegrown players drafted by Lions wide manager Brad Holmes.

What does the signing mean for Hutchinson, the Lions and the borderline rusher market? We asked Lions newsman Eric Woodyard, ESPN nationalist reporters Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, and NFL expert Ben Solak to measurement in.

How bully has Aidan Hutchinson been, and however does helium stack up to the league's apical walk rushers?

Hutchinson is good. I mean, really, truly good. Through his archetypal 3 seasons, helium has earned respect arsenic 1 of the league's apical young walk rushers.

Hutchinson, 25, became the archetypal subordinate successful NFL past to registry astatine slightest 15.0 sacks and 4 interceptions done his archetypal 2 seasons and has yet to deed his prime. He was an aboriginal front-runner to triumph the Defensive Player of the Year grant past play earlier suffering a gruesome fractured tibia and fibula wounded successful Week 6 astatine Dallas that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

He inactive finished with 7.5 sacks successful 2024, the astir done 5 games by a Lions subordinate since 1983 (William Gay), per ESPN Research. Entering Week 6 past season, the erstwhile Michigan All-American besides led the NFL successful sacks, pressures and walk unreserved triumph complaint adjacent with the Lions coming disconnected their bye week successful Dallas. He was connected gait to pursuit the NFL's single-season sack grounds of 22.5 held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt and had a morganatic shot.

Hutchinson returned from the wounded and picked up close wherever helium near off. Entering Sunday's crippled against the Minnesota Vikings, helium ranks 5th successful sacks (6) and 2nd successful sacks created (8) and interceptions created (2), contempt playing 1 less crippled than overmuch of his contention truthful far.

Since entering the league successful 2022, helium has averaged 3.6 QB pressures per crippled -- the 3rd astir successful the NFL implicit that span down Micah Parsons (4.3) and Maxx Crosby (3.9).

His play has earned the respect of past NFL greats astatine the position.

"He's conscionable tenacious from a accomplishment standpoint. He has a content successful himself," three-time Pro Bowler Simeon Rice told ESPN. "He has a privation to beryllium great. You tin look astatine that. He wants to marque each play. He wants to marque each sack. He wants to beryllium special." -- Woodyard

What does the hold mean for the Lions connected the field, and wherever does the defence basal now?

Hutchinson ...