The Detroit Lions are looking to reach the Super Bowl in 2025 and a big step toward that goal will be the return of Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson was on his way to a defensive player of the year campaign, recording 7.5 sacks and 45 quarterback pressures in five games before breaking his leg in October.
Rumors of a Super Bowl return fueled optimism about Hutchinson’s recovery and after a recent update that he’s running at full speed, the Lions’ offseason picture is coming into focus. This not only sheds light on Detroit’s draft strategy less than two weeks before the NFL’s annual event kicks off in Green Bay. But it also adds context to one of the Lions’ most controversial offseason moves with hopes of a reunion in the coming weeks.
Aidan Hutchinson’s Injury Update Clarifies Lions Decision to Release Za’Darius Smith
The Lions made an interesting move when they released edge rusher Za’Darius Smith right before the start of free agency. Smith was a midseason trade acquisition in the wake of Hutchinson’s injury last October and performed well enough to validate a return with four sacks and 40 pressures in nine games including the divisional-round playoff loss to the Washington Commanders.
Despite vouching for a return and even creating his own NFC North divisional championship ring, the Lions released Smith over a $2 million roster bonus. The move created a hole across from Hutchinson and left Detroit back to where they started in terms of pass-rushing depth. But it also may have been part of a longer process to determine their plans.
Hutchinson was rumored to be ready for the Super Bowl if the Lions got there, but they never had the chance after getting upset in the playoffs. While everything looked good, the Lions wanted to make sure that Hutchinson didn’t suffer a setback between the end of the season and the beginning of next year before finalizing their plans for the 2025 season.
Smith’s roster bonus seemed like a small amount but it was complicated thanks to four void years attached to the end of his contract. With Detroit unwilling to pay that money, it made sense for the Lions to wait out Hutchinson’s recovery and bring Smith back if he was needed to hold the fort for a couple of games.
Although Hutchinson appears to be all systems go and the Lions re-signed Marcus Davenport this offseason, they haven’t really made a big move to replace Smith. Rumors of Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby appeared to be just that and Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson appears to be working out a new contract instead of finding a trade that could have put him in Detroit.
If the Lions don’t like their options late in next month’s draft, they could give Smith a call knowing that they don’t need him to be a full-time edge rusher like he was over the second half of last season. That could lower his price, save Detroit money, and wind up with the pass-rushing duo they wanted all along but couldn’t afford with the current state of his contract.
Time will tell if it’s enough to allow Smith to return to the Lions. But the process makes sense as Hutchinson continues to fly through his rehab process.