Nothing’s really changed for NFL pass rushers this year. Players were cashing in with big contract extensions in the offseason. Think of Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, and T.J. Watt. This trend has continued mid-season, too, with Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions being the latest to get paid.

But the one big exception who didn’t get an extension with his team? Micah Parsons. Despite being one of the best in the league, the Dallas Cowboys let him walk instead of locking him up long-term. That’s exactly why Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk subtly took a jab at Jerry Jones’ team after Hutchinson’s new deal.

“He (Hutchinson) grew up in the area. He wants to be a lion. Always wanted to be a lion. Some teams, dysfunctional teams, will use that against you and try to pay you less. They’ll try to dare you to want to leave because they know you want to stay. Dysfunctional organizations generally will use against the employee the fact that the employee wants to be there instead of realizing this is somebody who should be celebrated and fairly compensated.”

Florio didn’t verbally name the Cowboys. But the signs were clear that he’s probably targeting the Cowboys. After all, Micah was supposed to get a contract extension this year. But Jerry Jones has a knack for stretching contracts. Micah still showed up during most of the offseason drills, unlike any other player. But at the end of the day, the 26-year-old was traded.

Micah joined the Green Bay Packers in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round draft picks. Jerry, in his justification, noted that the Cowboys want to be a better team than they were with Micah in the past few years.

“This gives us a better chance to be a better team than we have been the last several years since Micah has been here,” Jerry said after trading Micah. “Not any negative on Micah, but we’re trying to get better, to stop the run and stay in the hunt.”

With Parsons on the roster, Dallas ranked 29th against the run last season and never climbed higher than 16th in that category. The Cowboys also went 1-3 in the playoffs during his tenure, with Parsons recording just one sack across those four games. Still, his absence is hard to notice in Dallas, considering the team’s defense is the worst in the league. But that’s not the case with Hutchinson in Detroit.

The 25-year-old struggled with a severe injury last season when he fractured both his tibia and fibula, which too against the Cowboys. But fast forward to this season, and the Lions have rewarded him with a hefty extension.

A look at Aidan Hutchinson’s contract extension

The Lions, on Wednesday, announced that they’ve signed Aidan Hutchinson to a contract extension through the 2030 season. The team didn’t disclose the contract terms, sure. But the fourth-year edge rusher reportedly signed a four-year, $180 million contract with a $141 million guaranteed (AAV: $45 million).

That said, Hutchinson is now the second-highest-paid edge rusher in the league, only behind Parsons. The Packers’ DE signed a four-year, $186M deal after leaving Dallas before the start of the season. However, Hutchinson still made history by becoming the recipient of the most guaranteed money ever given to a non-quarterback.

A former first-rounder from the 2022 NFL draft class, the Lions will exercise Hutchinson’s fifth-year as part of his deal. Since his debut, he has turned into the heartbeat of the Lions’ pass rush. 138 tackles (93 solo), 78 quarterback hits, 36 tackles for loss, 34.5 sacks, 11 pass defenses, eight forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and four interceptions, per the Lions’ official site.

The Lions are currently at 5-2 heading into Week 9. And one thing’s for sure: Hutchinson has become a core part of the Lions’ defense through the 2030 season.