ALLEN PARK — So the NFL headlines for days have been praising Green Bay’s trade to acquire edge rusher Micah Parsons from Dallas. Nothing wrong with that. He could be a game-changer for the Packers.
However, the Lions have a game-changing edge rusher of their own in Aidan Hutchinson who only played in five games last season when he broke his tibia and fibula to end his season.
So don’t be too quick to tip the scales toward Green Bay when Detroit opens the season there on Sunday just because of the addition of Parsons.
Hutchinson is totally recovered from his broken leg and it seems he’d like to stop talking about it.
“It’s great to be back, and it’s been a long time coming, but we’re here, and I’m just looking forward to this season,” Hutchinson said on Tuesday. “I think when I play this game on Sunday, people will finally — I think it will be in my past from the media perspective and from the fan perspective. People will have moved on, which will be good because I think I’ve moved on a while ago.”
He’s been back at work since the spring. Certainly in training camp he didn’t appear to have lost a step. At all.
“Very excited, can’t wait to watch him go. He’s put in a lot of time, a lot of effort, a lot of hard work to get back to where he’s at right now,’’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Tuesday. “And when you have the game taken away from you for whatever reason it just gives you a little extra motivation to come back. I’m excited to watch him, he’s going to be ready to go.’’
Last season, which was his third with the Lions, Hutchinson was injured at Dallas in the fifth game, a 47-9 Detroit win. He finished his abbreviated season with 7.5 sacks, 19 tackles, 17 quarterback hits and a forced fumble. Even with playing in just five games, Hutchinson was the team sack leader when the season ended.
The Lions defense was crushed by his absence and that of many other key players, but still they finished 15-2. Getting Hutchinson back cannot be overrated.
“I just feel like he’s improved himself even from last year, just his ability to bend, his mechanics with his hands, his hips,’’ Campbell said. “There’s tricks to the trade you learn along the way as you grow and I do feel like from a flexibility standpoint and continuing to hone his own skills you begin to elevate yourself even a little bit more. I feel like he’s done that.’’
In his first two seasons, Hutchinson had 21 sacks combined. He’s always a threat and makes everyone on the line a better player.
“And here’s what you know, he’s going to give you everything he’s got, every play he’s out there — every play,’’ Campbell said. “That’s why I’m excited because I know the guy is going to give us everything he’s got no matter what it is.’’
UP NEXT: Lions at Packers, 4:25 p.m. on Sunday.
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