The Detroit Lions are gearing up for a major boost to their defensive line with the return of standout pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who is set to rejoin the team for the 2025 season after recovering from a significant injury.
Hutchinson went down with a leg injury in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys, cutting short what was shaping up to be an extraordinary year. Before his injury, he had already racked up 7.5 sacks and was putting up numbers that ranked him among the league’s elite defenders.
Now medically cleared and back to full football activity, Hutchinson is on track to start the season at 100 percent. Detroit is banking on him quickly returning to his previous dominant form.
Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus recently highlighted a key reason for optimism for each NFL team, identifying Hutchinson’s return as Detroit’s brightest point heading into the new season.
“Hutchinson was putting together a historic campaign before getting hurt last season,” Wasserman noted. “Despite playing less than six full games, he led the league in total pressures (45), notched eight sacks, and earned an impressive 95.0 pass-rushing grade from PFF, along with a 38.3% win rate. His absence was a major factor in the Lions’ late-season drop in pass-rush effectiveness. If he picks up where he left off, he could reshape Detroit’s entire defensive unit.”
While Hutchinson’s presence alone is significant, the Lions also took steps to strengthen their depth at edge rusher. They brought back Marcus Davenport and Al-Quadin Muhammad on short-term contracts and added rookie Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round of the draft.
Should Hutchinson regain his dominant edge-rushing form, and the team finds a steady contributor opposite him, Detroit could field one of the league’s most disruptive defensive fronts.
More Lions Notes – Monday, June 16
Ennis Rakestraw was named by Lions Wire as one of the most critical players on the 2025 roster.
The Detroit News analyzed what linebacker Jack Campbell can do to take the next step in his third professional season.
The team’s official website published five statistical areas where the Lions need to see improvement this year.
