As the Detroit Lions look ahead to the 2025 season, one of their top priorities is securing the future of Aidan Hutchinson. The NFL recently set the salary cap for 2025 at $279.2 million, and with it comes the cost of exercising the fifth-year option for players from the 2022 NFL Draft. For Hutchinson, picking up this option for the 2026 season would come with a price tag of $19.872 million.
However, while this number might seem high, the Lions’ primary objective isn’t just to exercise Hutchinson’s fifth-year option. Their main goal is to lock him in for the long term. Hutchinson has already made a significant impact as one of the NFL’s top young talents, particularly on the defensive line. Although an injury in 2024 kept him out for most of the season, prior to that, he was playing at a level that could have made him a strong contender for Defensive Player of the Year honors. If healthy, he remains a game-changing force.
The Lions understand that Hutchinson is a key player for their future, and securing him with a long-term deal is crucial to their aspirations of building a championship-caliber team.
Instead of exercising the fifth-year option, the more likely path is for the Lions to negotiate a contract extension with Hutchinson before the start of the 2025 season. This move would allow them to retain one of the league’s best young pass rushers and signal the team’s commitment to constructing a formidable defense. Given Hutchinson’s exceptional play and potential, he is set to receive a sizable extension. The Lions will likely aim to lock him down now, avoiding the risk of paying even more down the road. Extending Hutchinson would be the first major step toward keeping their defense strong for years to come.
