Two new Lions defensive coaches have wasted no time to talk about Aidan Hutchinson and raise the bar for him heading into his second season.
Fortune smiled on the Detroit Lions when Aidan Hutchinson was there for them to take No. 2 overall last year. He worked out some early kinks, was eventually used in a way that better suited him, and delivered a season where he led all rookies in sacks and quarterback pressures. He also played more snaps than all but one other defensive lineman in the entire league.
But Hutchinson knows he can improve, and experience will be as much a benefit there as anything else. There will be no issue for him to put in the work to get better, heading into his second season and beyond.
The Lions’ new coaches had sessions at the podium with the media on Wednesday. However naturally, new defensive line coach John Scott Jr. and new senior defensive assistant John Fox both talked about Hutchinson.
New Detroit Lions defensive coaches set bar for Aidan Hutchinson
Scott worked at Penn State before coming to the Lions, so he saw Hutchinson on the other side when Hutchinson played at Michigan.
With the obvious acknowledgement he’s glad Hutchinson is on his side now, Scott spoke about how good he thinks Hutchinson can be.
Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:
"The guy’s a high-motor guy,” Scott said. “He was extremely productive in college and I’ve watched his games from the NFL, he still plays that way. I think the ceiling’s as high as he wants it to be. He’s a talented guy and he works at it, so super excited to get with him and help him go where he wants to go.”"
Fox, a former NFL head coach who’s experience will be a valuable asset on the Lions’ staff, had thoughts about Hutchinson too.
"He’s an impact player,” new Lions senior defensive assistant John Fox said….. And he’s a guy that works hard….. I just met him a couple days ago for the first time as a Lion, but you see great potential. He had a very, very good rookie season and I think he’ll just be that much better for it, those experiences, and he’ll just get better and better. But he’s an outstanding prospect, an outstanding player and look for a lot of improvement.”"
Hutchinson is the type to embrace expectations, not shrink from them. The comments from Scott and Fox just put some specific words on Hutchinson’s potential to be even better than he was his first year, which is a scary thought for Lions’ opponents.