The Lions have locked up another major piece of their core: Aidan Hutchinson has signed a four-year extension that will keep him in Detroit through at least 2030.
Hutchinson's agent announced the news Wednesday on X, with Adam Schefter reporting that the deal is worth $180 million, including $144 million guaranteed. It makes Hutchinson the second highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Hutchinson, 25, has six sacks and four forced fumbles in seven games this season, his fourth in the NFL. He has been just as dominant as he was last year prior to fracturing his tibia and fibula in October, while hunting the ball like never before.
He is the third highest-graded defensive player in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, behind only fellow edge rusher Micah Parsons and linebacker Fred Warner, and he leads the league with 48 quarterback pressures.
Parsons just signed a four-year, $186 million deal with the Packers that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at $46.5 million per year. Hutchinson, a year younger than Parsons, comes in just under that at $45 million a year, but with slightly more in guarantees. The next highest-paid edge rushers are T.J. Watt ($41 million) and Myles Garrett ($40 million).
The Lions have now committed $992.25 million over the past two years to retain 10 core players in Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, Jameson Williams, Taylor Decker, Derrick Barnes, David Montgomery and Hutchinson, nine of whom were acquired by the current regime under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, seven of them via the draft.
And they still have four more potentially in line from their 2023 draft class in Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch.
Hutchinson's rookie contract runs through next season after the Lions picked up his fifth-year option, meaning that his extension will kick in for the 2027 season.