Basically since last season ended, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has not shied away from high expectations for himself or his team this season. He more recently credited new defensive line coach Terrell Williams for helping unlock a new level for him heading into his third season, as he eyes the next step to cementing a long-term place among the league's best pass rushers.
Hutchinson is lined up for better success this year, if only because the Lions' defense has been upgraded around him. It should be easier for him to get after the passer, and more consistently, convert pressures into sacks. That's certainly a scary thought for opposing offenses.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn spoke to the media on Thursday. He pulled no punches to set his own bar for Hutchinson this year.
Aaron Glenn sets the bar a notch higher for Aidan Hutchinson
Via John Maakaron of SI.com, here's what Glenn had to say about the Hutchinson.
"Listen, Hutch has had a tremendous offseason. He had a tremendous training camp. And now he’s at that point where he needs to set his sights at being, if not the best defensive player in this league then one of the best, which he is. But now it’s time for him to (make) himself the best player."
Hutchinson led the Lions with 101 pressures last season (according to Pro Football Focus). He was responsible for 41 percent of the team’s pressures, while trailing only Danielle Hunter and Maxx Crosby in snaps at the position. To say nothing of the attention he got via double teams, and still had the aforementioned pressure total with 11.5 sacks.
Glenn rarely minces words publicly, and he surely never minces words behind the scenes when talking to players. So this probably isn't the first time Hutchinson has heard this kind of sentiment from his defensive coordinator in recent months, calling for him to level up another notch this year and take his place as one of the best defensive players in the NFL for the foreseeable future.