Can Detroit Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson become an All-Pro level pass rusher?
Flipping back over to the defensive side of the ball for our 2024 Detroit Lions roster preview series, we look at the biggest star on the side of the ball, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The hometown kid is entering his third season in the NFL, and he has impressed since getting drafted back in 2022. While he has played well, he hasn’t been good enough to become the cream of the crop for the position.
Heading into 2024, Hutchinson finally got some help along the defensive line to give him more chances at getting to the quarterback. With the new help, and a taste of what postseason football is like from last season, can Hutchinson elevate his game to an elite level?
Let’s take a peek at how that can be possible.
Previous previews: WR Kalif Raymond, LT Taylor Decker, DT DJ Reader
Aidan Hutchinson
Expectations heading into 2023
After having a solid rookie year, expectations grew for Hutchinson in 2023. He was seen as a staple of the defensive line, and with some rookie inconsistencies, he was expected to take a step forward in 2023. After how fellow rookie edge rusher James Houston IV did near the end of the 2022 season, the team hoped that he and Hutchinson would be a great duo for the Lions. If someone else could bring pressure besides Hutchinson, it would help not only Hutchinson but the team as a whole.
Hutchinson needed to improve on being a consistent force along the defensive line. There were times during his rookie year when he was quiet on the stat sheet. While that doesn’t always mean the player did nothing, he faced more double teams as the season progressed, and he wasn’t able to break free from them. If he could increase his consistency from 2022, it would be a better year for the Michigan man.
Actual role in 2023
Note: Stats are regular season only unless otherwise stated
17 games (17 starts)
Stats: 51 total tackles, 33 quarterback hits, 14 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, seven pass deflections, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception.
PFF defensive grade: 91.0 (9th out of 122 qualifying DEs — minimum 216 snaps)
PFF pass rush grade: 91.2 (5th out of 122)
PFF run defense grade: 67.4 (42nd out of 122)
PFF tackling grade: 34.2 (107th out of 122)
Hutchinson improved overall from his rookie season. While he still had some consistency issues, they were reduced from the year before. Hutchinson did take a slight dip in his run defense and tackling grade from the previous year, but his pass-rushing and overall defensive grades improved from the low 70s and 80s to the low 90s. He also almost doubled the number of pressures he had, improving from 53 to 101, second most in the NFL, just two behind Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons.
Despite the lack of support on the field, Hutchinson’s performance improved. His journey was not without setbacks, as Houston’s ankle injury in the Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks forced him out of play until the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers. This meant that Hutchinson was once again the focus of double teams and attention from opposing offenses, a challenge he faced with resilience.
While Hutchinson started the year strong—with 4.0 sacks in the first five games—he was quieter in the middle of the season in terms of sacks. However, he continued to generate pressure on the opposing quarterback, creating havoc for offensive lines. As the season progressed and the team needed players to step up, Hutchinson rose to the occasion. In the last two games, he had 5.0 sacks and demonstrated his commitment to helping the Lions achieve the highest possible ranking for the playoffs.
What impressed me the most about Hutchinson in 2023 was the amount of times he was able to put pressure on the quarterback. In his rookie season, Hutchinson had six or more pressures in only two games. In 2023, Hutchinson had 13 games with six or more pressures. (15, if you include the playoffs).
While the sack numbers are what gazes the eyes of box score watchers and the average person, he is still doing his job if he can disrupt plays without getting the finished credit of a tackle or a sack.
Outlook for 2024
While Hutchinson improved from 2022 to 2023, he can still be a better player. Consistency is still an issue that he must overcome, and now he must focus on finishing plays. Hutchinson can get to the quarterback and cause havoc, but there were times when the opposing team could execute a big play because Hutchinson was a half-second too late. If he can finish the sack or tackle and end the play himself, he can be an elite-level defensive end.
If Hutchinson can increase those sack numbers, cause more pressure, and become a true elite edge rusher, an All-Pro year is certainly within reach. The issue is that there are many good edge rushers in the NFL, and becoming an All-Pro is challenging. With only two players on each the first and second All-Pro teams, Hutchinson must be a top-four edge rusher in the NFL. You have to be an elite pass-rusher to do that, not just a good or great player, but someone who takes that next level. Hutchinson believes he’s reached a new level this offseason.
“I definitely feel like I’ve reached a new level this year, in pass rush and just body comp in general”, said Hutchinson. “I feel like that’s what happens when you stack years in professional sports. Your body comp gets better, you get more flexible, you get more bend, just everything that you want. As long as you’re treating your body, mind and soul right every year, it only compounds.”
It’s not just Hutchinson who sees improvement in himself. The coaching staff has noticed as well so far in the offseason. The new defensive line coach, Terrell Williams, likes what he has seen so far from Hutchinson and wishes more players would be like him.
“Hutch has been unbelievable this offseason, and I think he’s made huge, huge, huge strides from the time I arrived until where we are now”, said Williams. “It’s not me, it’s him studying tape. It’s him asking questions. Everybody sees big, tall 97 with long arms and Mr. Michigan, and all this other stuff, but what you don’t see is the time this guy puts in. And he’s constantly asking questions, studying tape and studying other players, and working on his crazy. He’s an extremely coachable player. I love the guy because of what he’s about. He’s about getting better. He’s not about the glamour and glitz, he’s just a grinder. We need a lot more guys that have that mentality.”
While it’s great to see and hear the positives of Hutchinson’s improved game, in the end, it’s a team game, and he can’t do it alone. Thankfully, the Lions addressed that in the offseason and got him some help along the defensive line, signing edge rusher Marcus Davenport and defensive tackle DJ Reader to help not only Hutchinson along the opposite side but also on the interior.
Alongside those additions, Houston will also be back healthy, and we saw defensive lineman Josh Paschal improve from his 2022 rookie season last year. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill had his best year in 2023, and with Reader alongside him, the interior defensive line will be a problem. If it’s a problem for offenses, Hutchinson can have more chances in single blocking schemes to get to the quarterback.
This season presents Hutchinson with his best chance yet to earn the All-Pro status. The improvements in the defensive line and the secondary, coupled with the potential of a strong secondary to buy time for the defensive line, set the stage for a promising season for him. With these factors in play, Hutchinson is poised to take the next step toward becoming an elite defensive end in the NFL.
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