Was Aidan Hutchinson Finally Unlocked After Being Put In A Two-Point Stance?

The Detroit Lions Selected Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft as he was the best Edge Rusher in the class coming out of Michigan. Coming out of college, Hutchinson was most dominant when in a two-point stance so he can get off the line quicker. Now the Lions have picked up on and it seems to have improved his game greatly. Let’s break down how this could affect the rest of his career and if it’ll be beneficial for the Lions to keep him there.

What Does The Two-Point Stance Do For Hutchinson?

While Hutchinson was a good player at Michigan before his Senior season, he wasn’t near as good as he was in his Senior year due to one factor, the way they lined him up. Hutchinson could get pressure now and then but was not consistent dominance against some of college football’s best until they put him in a two-point stance. Hutchinson’s effectiveness shot up as soon as they put him in a permanent two-point stance, as his rating went through the roof. The stance alone put him from a late first-rounder to the second overall pick, and his PFF rating a 57.4 to 86.3.

This past week the two-point stance showed greatly improve Hutchinson’s game from previous weeks. He was getting shut down fairly consistently throughout the season, outside of the Washington game. Then they finally changed up the scheme and Hutchinson showed why he was drafted number two overall. He shot his PFF grade up from 75.1 to 93.5 just from being in a two-point stance.

The stance allows him to get more speed off the Edge and use his strength to get passed blockers. He could get more pass-rush moves off from this stance, which was one of his biggest criticisms coming out of college. If the Lions keep him in this stance for the rest of his tenure with Detroit then he could become one of the league’s premier pass rushers. Hutchinson’s potential is off the charts and if the Lions keep him in this position to succeed, then they have made a home run of a pick

What Does This Mean For The Lions?

The Lions’ Needs have shifted a bit after unlocking Hutchinson’s full potential through the two-point stance. The Lions were thought to need another quality pass rusher alongside Hutchinson to make him an effective pass rusher, but that might not be the case anymore. The Lions now have flexibility on what to use their first-round picks for and what to look for in free agency, now that a premier pass rusher isn’t the number one need. The Lions could end up targeting players like Bryce Young or CJ Stroud in the draft and players like Byron Murphy or Daron Payne in free agency.

This also extremely helps the future of this defense and the job security of Aaron Glenn. The Lions’ defense instantly played better as a unit as soon as Hutchinson started dominating in his new role, which greatly improved the hope for the future of this defense after it was looking like they were lost. Aaron Glenn also helped his case after this defensive performance against one of the league’s top scoring offenses. As long as Glenn keeps up this scheme and keeps Hutch in this stance then he may be able to go from “on the hot seat” to the defensive coordinator of the future.