How the Lions Can Create an Unstoppable Edge Duo in 2026
The Detroit Lions found one of the best pass rushers in the league in the 2022 NFL Draft with their second overall pick. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has terrorized quarterbacks for four seasons now, having his best season yet last year. Hutchinson earned 14.5 sacks, an interception, four forced fumbles, and 35 quarterback hits. The two-time Pro Bowler has become a staple of the Lions’ defense and a large part of their rising success, helping them reach the Conference Championship. While Hutchinson has covered one side of the pass-rushing attack, the other side has struggled to find a sustainable counterpart. This offseason, however, Detroit has some options for how to fix this.
The Lions have been interested in defensive end Maxx Crosby for quite some time. As much of a long shot as it is, Detroit is a team to keep an eye on in the future if the Las Vegas Raiders want to find a potential suitor once again. The duo of Hutchinson and Crosby would be one to terrorize the league's quarterbacks and make the Lions undoubtedly a Super Bowl contender. More likely, however, is Detroit finding its second defensive end star through this upcoming draft. The team has scouted edge rushers like David Bailey and Keldric Faulk, two players with explosive ability to match Hutchinson. Another option is edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., the 2025 Ted Hendricks Award Winner, which goes to the best defensive end in college football. There’s no shortage of options in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the Lions need to be willing to draft them with their first-round pick instead of focusing on offensive tackle.
While a new offensive tackle is an absolute must this offseason for the Lions, getting their defensive end across from Hutchinson should be the top priority. Teams have now become accustomed to expecting the former Michigan Wolverine to wreak havoc, locking him up in double-team pass protection. Not only does finding another pass rusher allow Detroit to be even more dangerous, but it also allows Hutchinson more breathing room to be even more destructive. There aren’t many pass-rushing duos in the league, which could give the Lions a huge advantage if they can find their answer in the draft, especially being a part of arguably the best division in football. Detroit’s draft will be one of the more interesting ones to monitor, as they have some huge decisions to make with their first-round pick.
