The Detroit Lions are entering the offseason trying to find a move that will get them to the Super Bowl. Detroit thought it had the answer last year when they used the league’s best offense to post a 15-2 record and earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs. But an upset loss to the Washington Commanders shattered those dreams.
With the offense mostly intact, the focus this offseason has been improving the Lions’ defense. Part of that process will be a return to health for a unit that had 13 players on injured reserve at the end of the year but it could also include a splashy move including trading for Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett.
Garrett publicly demanded a trade during Super Bowl week and was spotted talking to Aidan Hutchinson and Jared Goff at the NFL Honors a few days later. While Hutchinson downplayed an impromptu recruiting session, the Lions’ star edge rusher reversed course while discussing the meeting this week.
Aidan Hutchinson speaks on potentially playing alongside Myles Garrett next season 👀
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“I was talking to him, we were at the honors just talking about what could be”
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Aidan Hutchinson Confirms He Talked About Teaming Up With Myles Garrett at the Super Bowl
Hutchinson spoke about his conversation with Garrett during an appearance on “The Squeeze” podcast with Tay and Taylor Lautner and admitted what everybody was thinking when they saw the photo during Super Bowl week.
“I mean…if me and Myles were to pair up, that would be deadly,” Hutchinson said. “I was talking to him…at [the NFL Honors] and we were just talking about what could be. And although it’s probably unlikely…I would be thrilled to play next to him if it were to happen. Our whole D-line would be just totally elevated and…that’d be a scary defensive line.”
A team of Garrett and Hutchinson would be a dream for the Lions and a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. Hutchinson and Garrett were No. 1 and No. 2 in Pro Football Focus’s pass-rushing grades among edge defenders last season and Garrett tied with Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson for first in the NFL with 83 quarterback pressures.
It would also provide depth for a group that was ravaged by injury last season. Hutchinson was lost for the season after breaking his tibia and fibula during a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys and while they traded for Za’Darius Smith, it didn’t have the same impact as the Lions ranked 23rd with 37 sacks last season.
Although Alim McNeill’s availability for the start of the season is unclear after suffering a torn ACL last December, the thought of adding Garrett to the group sounded appealing to Hutchinson – especially considering the friendship they’ve struck up over the past several seasons.
“I think I’ve seen him these last few years at different things. He texted me after I got hurt which, I don’t know, it was just a cool thing,” Hutchinson said. “...I think he’s a good dude and if he does [join the Lions], great. But I don’t know. We’ll see. But that would be awesome.”
The Lions would have to make a seismic move for it to happen, but Hutchinson’s comments make it clear that both sides are on board.