New Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has “full confidence” that injured defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will be back to his dominant self when he returns from his broken leg next fall.
“That guy was having a phenomenal year,” Sheppard said Tuesday at the NFL combine “That guy’s willing to drop into coverage if it deems they’re turning three people in protection to him. He’ll drop out without hesitation and understand the coverage aspect of it, want to pour into that. So I have full faith in Hutch.”
Hutchinson was having a Defensive Player of the Year-type season when he broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg in a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
He had a team-high 7½ sacks last season despite missing 12 games with the injury, and has steadily improved in each of his first three NFL seasons. As a rookie, Hutchinson had 9½ sacks and finished second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. In 2023, he had 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
The Lions struggled to get regular pressure on opposing quarterbacks in Hutchinson’s absence last season and could be in the market for help on their defensive line this spring.
Sheppard, a linebackers coach the past three seasons, said he will tailor his rush plans to the Lions’ personnel as defensive coordinator and he expressed “full trust” in general manager Brad Holmes outfitting the unit with “more than capable guys to work with,” starting with a healthy Hutchinson.
Hutchinson is expected to take part in formal offseason workouts this spring and be ready for Week 1 next season.
“When you look at the performance staff … those guys don’t get mentioned and noticed, but the return-to-play ratio that we have had, those guys have been miracle workers,” Sheppard said. “I mean it was a trauma unit in there this year and they never batted eye. It was never any complaining, it was never any finger pointing. It was just, ‘This is the date, you’re going to have the guy back, we’ll have him ready to go,’ and that was what it was.
“I mean, that’s top down throughout the organization. So I have full confidence (Hutchinson is) going to be back to health.”
