There are two things we know about the contract situation with Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions: Hutchinson wants to stay in Detroit for the long haul, and the Lions want to keep him.
However, one analyst believes the former fact could hurt the former No. 2 overall pick in contract talks with the team.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks that Hutchinson's stated desire to remain in Detroit is something the team could use against him.
“Aidan Hutchinson, three years in, still waiting," he said. "This is a strange situation because no one is talking about the fact that Hutchinson does not have a deal. We talk about T.J. Watt, we talk about Micah Parsons, we talk about Trey Hendrickson. Pass-rusher, pass-rusher, pass-rusher. Here’s Hutchinson, he doesn’t have a deal, no conversation about it. He had about a 12-to-15 minute press conference during offseason workouts, not a single question about it. Part of the problem is he wants to be in Detroit, and the challenge for the Lions will be to not use that against him.”
It might be true that the Lions could try to use that against him, but that is offset by the fact that Detroit needs Hutchinson, who is their best edge rusher and maybe the best defender on the team overall.
The biggest issue for Hutchinson is the fact that he's coming off a broken tibia and fibula, which could lead to Detroit waiting to extend him in order to make sure he's fully healthy and 100% back from such a significant injury.
"I understand why the Lions would want to wait, they want to make sure he's healthy," Florio added. "But from his perspective, 'I've done everything I can do. I should no longer have to carry the risk of injury, I should get my reward.' Because if he goes out and plays this year and suffers another serious injury, then what happens? So he has every reason to believe he's earned it and the Lions have every right to be patient."
It's easy to see it from both sides' perspectives.
Signing Hutchinson to what will be a monster contract before he gets back on the field from a serious injury is risky for Detroit. Meanwhile, it's understandable for Hutchinson to want the security of a long-term deal before he plays another snap.
Luckily, the Lions don't have to worry about Hutchinson holding out, so they'll get a long look at him for another season before deciding what to do.
On the flip side of that, there could be more edge rusher extensions that will make Hutchinson more expensive, and him having a career year would aid in that, also.