Aaron Glenn: We Don't Ask Guys to 'Replace' Aidan Hutchinson

Lions' defensive coordinator explains path forward after losing top defender.

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97). / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions suffered a massive loss to their defense when Aidan Hutchinson went down with a leg injury in the third quarter of their Week 6 win.

Though the Lions dominated the Dallas Cowboys, the injury to Hutchinson put a massive damper on the mood. Hutchinson, who was making a strong early case to be Defensive Player of the Year, is expected to be out for the season.

As a result, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is now tasked with finding an avenue to replace the production that the third-year Michigan product provided for the defense.

Yet, Glenn doesn't want to put all the pressure to replace Hutchinson on one singular player as they gear up for a pivotal NFC North showdown with the Minnesota Vikings.

"It's tough to lose a player like Aidan. We all know the type of player he was, we all know the type of season he was having," Glenn said. "Here's what we don't do. We don't ask guys to replace Aidan. Everybody is his own man, and everybody has their own traits and abilities. We ask those guys to be them. We try to put them in positions to be the best player they can be."

Glenn stressed the importance in not comparing players who fill the void to Hutchinson, who was off to an elite start to the season.

"The one thing I'm not gonna do or the one thing I don't want (the media) to do is disrespect those guys that's been playing behind him or playing with him," Glenn explained. "Those guys go out there in training camp, OTAs, during the season, they bust their ass too to get an opportunity to come out here and play. They're gonna do a good job for us. The one thing I do know is Aidan doesn't play every play, and we have guys that go out there and play when he's out and they do a good job for us. We expect them to continue to do a good job."

Plan for Isaiah Thomas

The Lions have added another depth solution in the form of Isaiah Thomas, a defensive end who was signed off the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad earlier in the week. He has intriguing size at 6-foot-5 and profiles as a physical player capable of contributing against both the run and pass.

He has made a minimal impact since being drafted in 2022 by the Cleveland Browns, having logged just 10 NFL games. As a result of limited exposure and having just arrived in Detroit, Glenn plans to utilize the week of practice to evaluate a potential role.

"He hasn't been here, so I can't answer that," Glenn said. "The only thing I know is that he has the measurables. We just got the player, so we have to figure out what the player can do well and once we figure that out, we'll be able to put him in spots that can help us on defense."

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One element that can help Thomas acclimate to the Lions at a quicker rate is the physicality of their practices. Glenn stated that getting reps against Detroit's talented offensive line will allow Thomas to generate an impression that will decide what his role looks like moving forward.

"It's always hard to do, but that's why we practice the way that we practice. We're not one of these teams that's gonna sit without pads on. We're gonna play. The only way to play football is to practice football. So he's gonna have a chance to practice against one of the best o-lines in the league and see exactly what he can do, and that's gonna tell us how we can play him."