As the Cowboys receive more attention for a prolonged negotiation with a standout player, not much is coming out of Detroit, where another edge-rushing domino sits. The Lions’ Hutchinson process could throw a wrench in the Cowboys’ long-running Micah Parsons talks, but it does not sound like the former No. 2 overall pick is in a hurry.
Although Detroit acted early with a market-resetting Penei Sewell extension, beating the Cowboys to the punch may not be in the cards. Coming off a broken leg, Hutchinson could benefit by waiting out this Parsons-Dallas squabble. As it stands, GM Brad Holmes said substantive talks have not yet transpired between team and player.
“Look, we’ll definitely get some dialogue going soon here, but those things take time, especially the larger the deal is,” Holmes said during a 97.1 The Ticket appearance.
In May, a report pointed to Hutchinson’s recovery (from fibula and tibia fractures) accelerating extension talks. It is interesting that has not happened two-plus months after he received full clearance. Holmes did acknowledge “it is very important” to extend Hutchinson, who spoke excitedly at his position’s offseason market rise at the outset of Lions training camp.
Just as Parsons has spoken of his price rising as other EDGE dominoes fall, Hutchinson can operate similarly. Parsons is undoubtedly looking to create distance between himself and T.J. Watt‘s record-setting $41MM-per-year contract, as the Cowboys’ top player is (at 26) nearly five years younger than the future Hall of Fame Steeler. The Cowboys finally giving in on Parsons’ price point would place Hutchinson in a commanding position, seeing that he is heading into an age-25 season and has shown difference-making ability.
Hutchinson, whose 62 QB pressures in 2023 paced the NFL by 12, had zoomed to 7.5 sacks when he went down in Dallas. Continuing on his 2024 pace may well have both been enough to drop Patrick Surtain to Defensive Player of the Year runner-up while also giving the Lions a much better chance to book a Super Bowl berth. Hutchinson still led the injury-battered team in sacks by a notable margin last season. The former Michigan star’s importance to the Lions is not in question, so Hutchinson does not exactly need to show his post-injury form to command a $40MM-plus-AAV extension. But doing so would help his cause.
Still, the Lions have some time before the season to finalize an agreement. They came to terms with Taylor Decker last July and showed they were fine with in-season extensions by re-upping Alim McNeill last October. The door will certainly not close for the Lions with Hutchinson once the season starts, but if the ascending pass rusher wants to wait out Parsons, the team would be effectively forced to operate on his timetable. Holmes was preparing for Hutchinson to clear $40MM per year before the Watt terms surfaced, so it is not as if that development changed the Lions’ calculous.
Detroit has Hutchinson signed through 2026, after making the easy decision to exercise his fifth-year option. The option buys more time if the parties do not begin true negotiations before Week 1. Most of the high-end edge rusher deals are done, however. Nearing 31, Trey Hendrickson agreeing to Bengals terms likely will not impact the Lions’ talks with a soon-to-be 25-year-old talent. Parsons’ deal being completed would set this market. It will be interesting, however, to see if the Lions make a big offer before the Cowboys are done with their slow-paced negotiation.
