The Untold Secrets Behind the Aidan Hutchinson Deal That Could Change Everything

When it comes to locking down talent, the Detroit Lions have a pretty clear blueprint: three seasons in the league, prove you’re worth it, and then they open up the checkbook. But with Aidan Hutchinson, things took a bit longer — the team wasn’t rushing to ink the deal until they were 100% certain he’d bounced back from a nasty leg injury that had everyone holding their breath last year. Fast forward seven games into the 2025 season, during the much-needed bye week, and finally, Hutchinson got the green light to cash in. It wasn’t early, but hey, better late than never for a guy who spent the first two months carrying injury risk like a loaded backpack. Now, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill contract extension. We’re talking a hefty five-and-a-half-year pact, stuffed with guarantees, bonuses, and caps that paint a vivid picture of how much faith the Lions are placing in their defensive star. If you want to dive deep into every nuance — from the signing bonus splits to the year-by-year guarantees and all the financial gymnastics packed in between — I’ve got every gritty detail lined up for you right here. LEARN MORE

The Lions usually give their draft picks who panned out new contracts after three seasons. As to defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the team wanted to sure he had recovered from last year’s serious leg injury.

And so, after seven games and during the bye week, Hutchinson finally got his reward. It was better late than never for Hutchinson, who carried the injury risk for the first eight weeks of the 2025 season.

We’ve gotten the full details of the four-year extension, which makes it a five-and-a-half year contract. Here’s the full and complete, no-fluff, no-BS, no-exaggerations-in-exchange-for-future-considerations terms:

1. Signing bonus: $15 million, with half paid within 30 days of signing and the other half paid by January 29, 2026.

2. Remaining 2025 base salary: $611,111, fully guaranteed.

3. 2026 option bonus: $28.407 million, fully guaranteed.

4. 2026 workout bonus: $250,000, fully guaranteed (but must be earned).

5. 2026 base salary: $1.215 million, fully guaranteed.

6. 2027 option bonus: $28.29 million, guaranteed for injury and fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2026 league year.

7. 2027 workout bonus: $250,000, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2026 league year (but must be earned).

8. 2027 base salary: $1.26 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2026 league year.

9. 2027 per-game roster bonus: $200,000 total, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2026 league year (but must be earned).

10. Of the 2027 million compensation package,$10 million is fully guaranteed at signing. The rest becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2026 league year.

10. 2028 option bonus: $28.245 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2027 league year.

11. 2028 workout bonus: $250,000, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2027 league year (but must be earned).

12. 2028 base salary: $1.305 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2027 league year.

13. 2028 per-game roster bonus: $200,000 total, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2027 league year (but must be earned).

14. 2029 option bonus: $20 million.

15. 2029 workout bonus: $250,000.

16. 2029 base salary: $29.55 million.

17. 2029 per-game roster bonus: $200,000 total.

18. Of the 2029 compensation, $35.428 million is guaranteed for injury at signing. Of that amount, $29 million becomes full guaranteed on the third day of the 2028 league year and the remaining $6.428 million becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2029 league year.

19. 2030 option bonus: $20 million.

20. 2030 offseason roster bonus: $2.55 million.

21. 2030 workout bonus: $250,000.

22. 2030 base salary: $22 million.

23. 2030 per-game roster bonus: $200,000 total.

The new-money average is $45 million. Factoring in the old money due through 2026 ($20.483 million), the true average from signing is $33.413 million.

The contract pays out $200.483 million through 2030. Of that amount, $95 million — nearly half — lands in the final two years of the contract, with $105.483 million paid out in the first 3.5 seasons.

Hutchinson is guaranteed, as a practical matter, the $105.483 million through 2028, plus $29 million in 2029. That’s $134.483 million.

The first realistic out for the Lions would be after the 2028 season. But they’d owe him $29 million for 2029, subject to offset. The last year of the contract, at a $45 million payout, has no guarantees.