Aidan Hutchinson was taken by the Detroit Lions in 2022 to help revitalize their entire defense. The pass rusher went on to piece together an immaculate rookie season, generating 9.5 sacks, three passes defended, and grabbing two fumbles. He was obviously the exact kind of cornerstone that you'd want to build around.
And the Lions just...didn't. For a very, very long time.
While Hutchinson did his best to carry the workload for the room, he couldn't manage it consistently due to an unfortunate injury suffered in 2024. He played just five games that year after fracturing his leg, which forced the Lions to trade for Za'Darius Smith and run with him as their primary edge rusher.
But, as we approach 2026, we might finally be able to say that the team has a long-term answer to the question of who will be their EDGE2. Two, as a matter of fact, have landed on the roster: rookie Derrick Moore and free agent signing D.J. Wonnum. If either can pop of the page enough to take the load off of Hutchinson, he has a very real shot at a Defensive Player of the Year run.
Hutchinson is in prime position for a DPOY campaign
Hutchinson's main competition now resides in the same conference, with Myles Garrett headed for the Los Angeles Rams in a huge trade. Garrett is coming off a historic sack campaign, and now has even more help up front with Byron Young on the same D-line as him.
Obviously, we can't sit here and say that Moore or Wonnum will have anywhere near a similar impact or level of production as Young, but even putting up consistent pressures each game will help to alleviate the attention often thrown at Hutchinson on the D-line.
Moore seems to already be in the best mindset you could have headed into your rookie year and potentially anchoring a line alongside Hutchinson, telling reporters during camp:
"To be a part of this defensive unit with him – I'm looking forward to learning a lot from him, growing with him, and dominate with him as well."
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Hutchinson's usage rate, which was at 91 percent for the 2025 season, could go down a bit with more help from these additions. This could give him even more pep in his step, which is a scary thought considering he recorded 14.5 sacks without that rest.
Four out of the last five winners of the DPOY award were sack artists. Garrett has won it twice in the last three seasons, and is likely going to make enough noise for a third trophy in 2026.
Hutchinson's 2025 production cannot be ignored as an omen for bad things to come for opposing teams' offensive lines, though. And, with a little bit of help - and perhaps some of the most consistent help he's had on this roster since getting drafted - he could finally snag his first DPOY honor.
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