DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Detroit hosted its first intersquad scrimmage on Tuesday, with several starters playing. Among those starters was defensive star Aidan Hutchinson, who is coming back from a massive leg injury last year.
On First Take, ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum said, “Aidan Hutchinson is the second biggest player coming back this year from injury behind Dak Prescott. Hutchinson can close out games for Detroit.”
In Hutchinson’s limited time on the field, he had three sacks and a quarterback hurry all on third downs. He will likely not play in the Hall of Fame game on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Lions’ senior writer Tim Twentyman says on www.detroitlions.com, “Hutchinson has looked like an even better player to start camp than the one who was on his way to being a defensive player of the year candidate before the injury last year.”
Hutchinson fractured the tibia and fibula last year after seven games on his left leg against Dallas. He had 7.5 sacks at the time of injury, which was in the top five of the NFL.
New Detroit Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard comments on Hutchinson’s time in camp, saying, “Listen, I’m not saying anything about numbers, statistics, or any of that. But I see a better player than we had last year. And you might be like, Whoa: ‘Like, that’s the same thing I said when I saw him out there. I’m like, ‘Whoa.’”
Detroit is one of the favorites to make it to the Super Bowl this season. Their journey starts on Thursday with the first preseason game of the year.