ALLEN PARK — Kelvin Sheppard knows it’s difficult to imagine, but the new Detroit Lions defensive coordinator thinks Aidan Hutchinson is in an even better place than he was a year ago.
Yes, the same Hutchinson who was the early favorite for Defensive Player of the Year last season, as he posted 7.5 sacks before his third professional campaign came to an abrupt end with a broken leg against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6.
“Listen, I’m not saying anything about numbers, statistics, any of that,” Sheppard said Tuesday. “But I see a better player than we had last year. (Hearing that), you might be like, ‘Woah.’ That’s the same thing I said when I saw him out there. I’m like, ‘Woah.’ But if you know Hutch … and the way he works, the way he attacked his rehab — a week after the surgery he’s in here trying to work out and things like that — it’s no surprise.”
Hutchinson was off to a ridiculous pace before getting hurt at Dallas, posting 45 pressures in about 4.5 games. He had a sack in four of Detroit’s first five contests, and he brought quarterback Baker Mayfield down 4.5 times in a Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Lions, winners of a franchise-record 15 games in 2024, held their collective own after losing Hutchinson, but the pass rush took a step back. The team finished 24th in sacks (37), though they also finished seventh in quarterback hits (110). That was all with a blitz rate of 34.6%, which was second in the NFL, behind the Minnesota Vikings (38.9%).
Hutchinson has looked the part through the early days of training camp, which began Sunday. But pads have yet to come on — that’ll happen Friday. He’ll then see how he can hold up in joint practices with the Miami Dolphins (Aug. 13-14) and Houston Texans (Aug. 21) before making his expected return in Detroit’s season-opener against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 7.
“Now, it’s about going out in live action, getting those hits, taking those blows, building that mental piece back to where it’s not (that he’s having), ‘Oh, watch out for this and that’ moments,” Sheppard said of Hutchinson. “… You can only build that through training camp with the pads on, live reps when we do have that setting here. The joint practices will be really good for Hutch, going against a foreign opponent where you don’t kind of know (their tendencies), and it’s not as controlled and things like that.
“But I see a better player, quite frankly, and I’m looking for Hutch to have a big season. He’s one of the pillars of the defense.”
Williams learning from McNeill
With Alim McNeill out for at least the first few weeks of the 2025 season and Levi Onwuzurike done for the year, rookie defensive tackle Tyleik Williams figures to play a more important role than originally thought. Through the first four practices of training camp, Williams has been getting plenty of opportunity with Detroit’s first-team defense.
Williams said adjusting to the NFL has been more difficult physically than mentally. He’s been leaning on some of his veteran teammates for tips, including McNeill.
“Alim’s a great player,” Williams said. “He’s been here for a long time. He got paid that big contract for a reason. … I would want to be him one day. Being that guy they look up to and wanting to go out there and make plays, I definitely want to fill that role, for sure.”
Williams wasn’t tasked with being much of a pass rusher with the Buckeyes, but he may have to take on more of those responsibilities with the Lions, especially with McNeill and Onwuzurike sidelined. He’s confident in his abilities.
“I’m definitely asked to do different things (than at Ohio State), but I think I have it all in my bag already,” Williams said. “Of course, you want to build on those things and get better at them. Like I said, I have guys around me that can help me with that, and good coaches. I’m ready. I’m going to get better throughout this camp, I’m going to have all those things on display.”
Williams, the 28th overall pick, added: “I got drafted where I got drafted for a reason. I’ve got to go up and show it.”