As Aidan Hutchinson has posted videos showing his progress from the broken fibula and tibia that ended what would have been a run to Defensive Player of the Year last season, there have of course been the negative nellies. And to be fair, anything posted on social media in that regard was going to naturally tilt positive.
Now more than seven months removed from the injury, Hutchinson being cleared to do on-field work during Lions' OTAs has felt like a moot point. Next Wednesday will be the team's first OTA workout.
Hutchinson spoke to reporters on Thursday, and he confirmed he has been medically cleared.
"I’m fully cleared. . . . I’m rolling with the boys now and it feels like I’m back to being myself again,” Hutchinson said. “I’m really looking forward to the season. I think this is the most excited I’ve been for OTAs in my life. This is the biggest hiatus I’ve had without playing ball so I’m pumped.”
Players usually see OTAs as more of an obligation than a source of enjoyment, but Hutchinson's sentiment is common for players who are coming off a major injury.
Path is now clear for Lions to make Aidan Hutchinson the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL
Back in late-February at the NFL Combine, Lions general manager Brad Holmes revealed contract talks with Hutchinson had started. The decision to pick up his fifth-year option for 2026 was a moot placeholder in that regard, with the final hurdle for long-term contract negotiations to really ramp up likely being the completion of his injury recovery with no setbacks.
On "The Insiders" Thursday night, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network fortified the idea that Hutchinson being medically cleared now clears the way for negotiations about a contract extension to reach the finish line.
"It does seem like, while there have been some talks and discussions, it seems like the Lions' move to pay him was waiting until he got fully cleared," Rapoport said. "Now he is. So now they can really kickstart the conversations, really have those discussions about making him one of the highest-paid edge-rushers in the NFL."
The top of the edge rusher market, by average annual value and guaranteed money, was reset by the new contract Myles Garrett got from the Cleveland Browns this offseason ($40 million per year, $123.5 million in total guarantees).
Hutchinson, approaching his 25th birthday (Aug. 9), has a case to top both of those numbers in his second contract. Now that he's fully healthy, we'll see (perhaps soon) how his agent and the Lions come together on that deal.
