Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson finished the 2023 season playing at a high level.
Including the postseason, Hutchinson had eight sacks over the final five games of the campaign. He looked unblockable at times and had three consecutive multi-sack games spanning from Week 17 against Dallas to the Wild Card Round against the Rams.
However, the overall performance for the Michigan product did at points leave more to be desired. He had 101 pressures in the regular season, but finished the year with 11.5 sacks. In fact, he had just two sacks across a 10-game span from Week 6 to Week 16.
He revived his performance late in the year and didn't stop getting pressure on the quarterback despite his sputtering sack numbers at points. Additionally, Hutchinson was a frequent target for opposing double teams because of Detroit's struggles to generate pressure elsewhere along the line.
Now, however, the Lions have made additions to the defensive line with hopes of diverting some of the attention off Hutchinson and creating even more opportunities for him to get to the quarterback.
Marcus Davenport and DJ Reader join the fold as veteran free agent additions. The Lions also have intriguing options back on the roster, including James Houston. Though an ankle injury limited him to just three appearances in 2023, he had 17 pressures and eight sacks over seven games as a rookie in 2022.
Still, there are questions about how impactful Hutchinson will be able to be if the Lions' pass-rush continues to struggle. ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes shared concerns about the overall productivity during a recent appearance on Woodward Sports' 'Woodward Heavyweights.'
“I don’t know if he’s fully unleashed. I love the DJ Reader signing, he is one of those NFL players, favorite," Kimes explained. "People who watch football are like, ‘Yeah, DJ Reader, he’s really good.’ That’s a big loss for Cincinnati. When they signed him from Houston, I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, that’s a really good player.’ This Lions run defense is already really stout and he’s very good against the run. I do feel like they’re still another edge rusher away to be honest."
Hutchinson is regarded as a player with an extremely high ceiling, and the 2023 season proved as much. From a pressure standpoint, he was on par with the league's elite. Only Nick Bosa had more in 2023, while Hutchinson logged more than Maxx Crosby, T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett.
So, logically, the next step for him is to finish more of his chances with takedowns of the quarterback. Should he be able to flex that muscle, he could be in the running for All-Pro recognition as well as setting himself up to be in the Defensive Player of The Year conversation.
Another area that could help the Lions' pass-rush efforts is improved play in the secondary. The pass defense was a major weakness for Detroit, particularly late in the year when the unit was exposed by elite receivers such as CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson.
If the Lions can play tighter in coverage, they will allow more time for rushers such as Hutchinson to ultimately get home.
"So I think naturally, because of that, I understand with Reader and we’ll see what you get out of the interior outside of him," Kimes said. "Hutchinson’s gonna face a fair amount of double teams, it’s not going to be as easy for him as it is for defensive lines where they have a 1A or 1B or they have another top-15-to-20 edge rusher opposite them. But if you get even the play you got last year, that’s certainly enough given the improvements that you’ve made in the secondary.”
