Aidan Hutchinson has become the kind of defender the Lions simply can’t afford to lose - and the numbers keep making that point louder.
Since Detroit took him with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Hutchinson has been the engine of the defensive line. He missed time only because of a broken leg in 2024, and when he’s available, he’s almost always on the field. That workload matters, because the Lions still haven’t found a true, steady edge threat to pair with him.
Al-Quadin Muhammad gave Detroit a burst in 2025, piling up 11 sacks, but the production came in waves and he left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency last March. DJ Wonnum has filled the role this season and has been a useful second option, matching Hutchinson’s sack total at five even though he has played one fewer game. Rookie Derrick Moore also flashed in Week 9 and now looks like another piece the Lions can lean on in the pass rush.
Even with those contributions, the defense still revolves around Hutchinson. He entered Week 10 with the second-most pressures among edge rushers in the league at 50, according to Pro Football Focus.
Only one other Lion, Alim McNeill, had more than 20 pressures. Wonnum was next among edge rushers with 14, and Moore had 10.
That reality showed up again in ESPN’s Bill Barnwell’s midseason awards rankings, where Hutchinson was listed as a top-3 Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Barnwell wrote, "Though the Lions haven't been great on defense this season, the idea of what they would look like without Hutchinson would lead their fans to shudder.
This team started replacement-level defensive backs throughout their lineup before Brian Branch's return. For the second season in a row, the edge rusher across from Hutchinson (DJ Wonnum) is having a career year because Hutchinson gets double-teamed at the highest rate of any edge rusher in the NFL (12.7%)."
Barnwell then drilled into what happens when Hutchinson comes off the field. "Unsurprisingly, the Lions rank last in the NFL in defensive EPA per play, opponent QBR and pressure rate during those rare times when Hutchinson is getting a breather. I'm not sure any defender in the league is more load-bearing at the moment."
Through eight games, the Lions have played 555 or 556 defensive snaps depending on whether the source is Pro Football Reference or PFF. Over the snaps Hutchinson has missed - just shy of a game’s worth on average so far - Detroit’s defense has produced the ugly numbers Barnwell highlighted.
No one has ever doubted how important Hutchinson is to this unit. But every new batch of numbers keeps underscoring the same thing: when he’s off the field, the Lions’ defense falls off a cliff.
In Other News...
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Lions Offense Is About To Test A Patriots Weakness
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For New England, the trip overseas adds another layer to a game already carrying pressure after a rough defensive showing last time out. The Patriots are trying to tighten things up after allowing 45 points in their previous game, and now they draw a Detroit attack that has enough speed and playmaking to expose any lingering issues. [Read more 🡒]