Before suffering a broken tibia and fibula last season, Detroit Lions star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson was well on his way to establishing himself as an elite player.
Prior to the Week 6 injury, Hutchinson had racked up a league-high 7.5 sacks and was on a path to becoming the Defensive Player of the Year. His hot start was highlighted by a 4.5-sack performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Looking ahead to 2025, Hutchinson appears on pace to be ready for the start of the season, but it's hard to know if he'll be himself in the first year back from such a serious injury.
However, ESPN's Mike Clay doesn't think Hutchinson will fall off at all. Clay is projecting Hutchinson will lead the NFL in sacks and will finish with over 16.
If Hutchinson is able to tally more than 15 sacks, he would break a Lions franchise record, which is currently held by Robert Porcher, who totaled that number in 1999.
Again, expectations should be tempered for Hutchinson, at least early on in the year. It's conceivable that the Michigan product may need some time to round into form after missing so much time with what has been a difficult rehab.
Then again, Hutchinson is a very hard worker and will only be 25 years old, so he has a better chance than most to immediately bounce back.
Hutchinson is already on a crash course to landing a lucrative, long-term contract extension from the Lions, but a record-breaking season and sacks crown would almost certainly lead to him resetting the market entirely at the position.
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