The Detroit Lions have reason to feel good about their rookie class after a strong season from them thus far, and a former player for the team has some thoughts about what must happen next.
Once upon a time, the Lions seemed to be building a similar nucleus, and it was around Ndamukong Suh. Coming into the 2010 draft, Suh was seen as one of the most feared defenders in football and quickly lived up to that billing in Detroit.
Now, Suh sees another player perhaps taking that mantle almost a decade later in Aidan Hutchinson, and he has a message for the team and their brass. Build around Hutchinson for the future.
Suh was asked what he thought of Hutchinson’s fast start with the team on Twitter, and offered a candid response that was very notable for the team.
@CarmieV Hopefully the GM and ownership are smart enough to build around him 👀!
“Hopefully the GM and ownership are smart enough to build around him!,” Suh tweeted in response to the question.
Naturally, that could be perceived as a major slight to the Lions, considering they did not build around Suh, who walked in free agency. Whether it was the Lions who let Suh go or Suh himself who had designs on leaving is still up for debate years later.
What cannot be debated, though, is how solid Hutchinson has looked at times this year, and how he can be a transformational piece for the Lions defense. Clearly, that’s something that Suh himself sees as the case.
This time, he wants to see the Lions stick with Hutchinson and build around a defensive player in the trenches that can be a game-changer for the team.
Hutchinson Enjoying Productive Rookie Season
Thus far, Hutchinson has easily been one of the most productive rookie defenders in football. He may not claim the Rookie of the Year award because of Sauce Gardner’s emergence, but that doesn’t dampen what he has done.
Not only has Hutchinson brought the pressure consistently with 4.5 sacks, but he has shown off his ability to be agile and move around on the field. That was shown in a big way in Week 9 when he soared for an interception:
First career pick for the first round pick❗️
#GBvsDET | 📺 FOX
Hutchinson joined Suh as a Lions rookie lineman to produce an interception, which was huge news considering where Suh’s career eventually went for the team. It’s possible with his ability to wreak havoc in the pocket and make sudden-change plays that Hutchinson could be pushing toward a similar bright future in Detroit.
Statistically and with regard to big plays, it’s easy to see how he’s been able to get that done this season for the team.
Suh’s Words Come From Experience With Lions
Suh continuing to open up on Twitter about his time in Detroit is very interesting considering he hasn’t said much about the Lions since he departed after the 2014 season in free agency.
While Suh typically doesn’t open up much on social media, he has spoken about the Lions before. The Lions elected not to pay him and he seemed set on taking his talents to the Miami Dolphins where he cashed in on a huge contract. Arguably, Suh wasn’t the same dominating player he always was with the Lions after he left, even though he continued to put up stats and pile up accolades elsewhere.
Even such, fans have to wonder when they think back to his departure whether or not Suh would have continued to be a menacing presence had the team elected to keep him around. It’s important to point out that Suh’s emergence came before the rookie pay scale was changed. Detroit had financial realities around the roster and had to keep wideout Calvin Johnson happy.
It doesn’t seem as if Suh is bitter about his experience, but rather, he wants to see the Lions keep around a star lineman this time. Give him credit for speaking out and not only praising the team, but perhaps giving them a road map to finding success.
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Ndamukong Suh Sends Lions Brass Strong Message About Aidan Hutchinson