Aidan Hutchinson agreed to a 4-year, $180 million extension last season, locking the star pass rusher down in Detroit for a substantial amount of time. The Detroit Lions paid both Hutchinson and Jameson Williams before either markets exploded in earnest.
Now, Hutchinson's deal suddenly looks like a steal. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport recently reported that, with one week until the NFL draft, the Houston Texans and EDGE Will Anderson Jr. had agreed to a monster 3-year, $150M extension with $134 million guaranteed. It makes Anderson the highest paid non-QB in the NFL.
Anderson is an absolute juggernaut of a defender, consistently keeping Houston in contests despite a shaky offense in 2025. His 12 sacks in 2025 were a career-best, and he also had three forced fumbles and 10.5 stuffs to boot.
However, and even though he absolutely deserved such a pay day, Hutchinson's numbers in 2025 were even more sensational: 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one interception, and 54 total tackles - same as Anderson.
Hutchinson's deal is monumental, but its been eclipsed by Anderson's. Suddenly, that humongous financial hit taken on by this deal feels a little more tolerable.
Lions' Hutchinson deal looking better after Anderson's payday
Cleveland Browns pass-rusher Myles Garrett had previously reset the market, getting a whopping four-year extension worth $40 million per year. At the time, that was the biggest deal for a non-QB in the league. That was back in March 2025. How things have changed, and very quickly.
Pass rushers have become a premium in the NFL, with the Philadelphia Eagles' lashing of the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX the best example of just how valuable an All-Pro pass rush and defensive front can be. It explains why, outside of quarterbacks, edge rushers tend to be the talk of the NFL draft - you can hit on someone, and alter your entire defense.
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The end of Hutchinson's current deal arrives in 2031 (and yes, that's a real year). By then, we'll have a good sense of whether this extension was worth it or not. However, coming off a 14.5 season that had been preceded by a broken leg, it feels like a safe bet to assume that Hutchinson hasn't even hit his prime yet.