Aidan Hutchinson confirmed in May that he received full medical clearance after completing the recovery process on his broken leg. To no surprise, then, no limitations are expected for the Lions Pro Bowler during training camp. 
“I’m exactly where I need to be,” Hutchinson said in an interview with CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson (video link). “Every year I’ve been able to improve on my own physical attributes along with the mental ones, so I feel like every year I take a step. Despite having that rehab this offseason, I feel like I’m in the perfect spot and exactly where I need to be going into Year 4.”
2025 will be a critical campaign for the former No. 2 pick as he and the Lions look to rebound from last year’s early postseason exit. Hutchinson’s absence was a key factor in Detroit’s defensive performances after his Week 5 injury. Up to that point, he was in contention to receive the Defensive Player of the Year award with 7.5 sacks and 27 QB pressures on that statsheet. If Hutchinson can remain healthy through the coming campaign, the Lions’ pass rush will be in a strong position.
Of course, a clean bill of health will also crucial from a financial standpoint in this case. Hutchinson is eligible for an extension, and at the age of 25 (as of next month) he is a prime candidate to be among the top earning edge rushers. The position’s market stands at $40MM annually for now, but T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons are both candidates to surpass that figure before Week 1. The Lions are aware of the rough cost of a new deal for Hutchinson, and an expectation emerged this spring that talks with the Michigan product were likely to accelerate in the wake of his recovery.
No updates have emerged on the extension front since then, but time still remains for Hutchinson and the Lions to hammer out a lucrative deal. Doing so just before or sometime during training camp will be more feasible based on his health situation.
Hutchinson and Parsons will no doubt reset the market at edge rusher in a big way but who really is there after them?
KT has been sadly about what I’d expected as a pro. Occasionally dominant but consistently inconsistent.
Most of the guys under 25 or so are talented and flash but are not that consistent elite pressure creator and sack getter that Hendrickson and Watt and Myles and Parsons are so why the holdup in extending these guys in the beginning or end of their prime when you don’t know for sure there will be anybody to take their place?
I understood with the previous crop of 29+ edge rushers because most weren’t consistently elite like these guys and there were these young guys available to replace them.
That’s not the case here though. This isn’t Everson Griffen or Jabaal Sheard or even Carlos Dunlap. This is future first ballot Hall of Fame level edge rushers. Hendrickson probably not unless he keeps up his pace but these past few years of his are up there with almost anybody in history. They’re Chandler Jones or Haason Reddick numbers. These guys are the players you go draft after draft hoping to land.
Just extend them all already.