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Lions training camp medical preview: EDGE
The EDGE pass-rushing position has been a concern for many years dating back to the Matt Patricia era. Aidan Hutchinson was a home-run selection in the 2022 draft but is coming off a significant leg injury. Behind him are a lot of players with question marks entering the season - both in terms of health and ability.
Last year, five EDGE's made the initial 53-man roster (Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Josh Paschal, James Houston, and John Cominsky who was immediately placed on IR). Here is the list of EDGE's starting with the players with the biggest medical question marks entering the season. Ages are at the start of the season.
Note: Some of these players may also cross-play at the outside linebacker position.
#1: Aidan Hutchinson - 25yo
Left tibia/fibula fracture - October 13, 2024
The #1 Lions injury news of last season is healed up and ready for training camp. You can see his latest progress in a recent instagram video:
Like a sinewy snake shedding its skin, Hutchinson shed his leg sleeve which had been present throughout the offseason - worn possibly for cosmetic reasons to hide the atrophy. There still appears to be some atrophy of the left leg but that's not a concern.
Projection: Hutchinson will be a full-go starting in Week 1 at Lambeau. Physically, he will likely return to his pre-injury form quickly, but residual effects are always possible. Even if he is physically complete, there are mental hurdles to overcome which could result in some production lag.
#2: Marcus Davenport - 29yo
Left elbow - September 22, 2024
After missing all but two games of last season due to a groin and elbow (reportedly a triceps tear), Davenport is on a 1-year, prove-it contract. He was a full participant in OTA last month which means he is ready for the season.
Projection: Davenport returns to the starting lineup in Week 1. For the rest of the season, fans will be keeping a close eye on his availability - which could be a huge determining factor in the final outcome for the team.
#3: Josh Paschal - 25yo
Paschal missed one game with an unspecified right knee issue last year and missed two more due to a shoulder mass excision. While the shoulder mass isn't a concern, the knee could be something to monitor as he was limited at June OTA.
Projection: Paschal will start the season as a key backup and will log a high percentage of snaps throughout the year. He will be highly motivated to produce, as this is the 4th and final year of his rookie deal.
#4: Al-Quadin Muhammad - 30yo
Muhammad has been healthy throughout his career - but he is on the wrong side of 30. He became a key member of the team towards the end of last season as defensive line injuries mounted. He showed decent production finishing with 295 snaps and 3 sacks.
Projection: Muhammad makes the 53-man roster and gets a lot of snaps this year to see if he can build on the success he had last season.
#5: Mitchell Agude - 26yo
In his first season of action in the NFL last year, Agude logged 40 snaps without a sack. He has been healthy during his brief career, but he did have a life-threatening concussion and head injury at age nine. That injury could become an issue if he has any future concussions.
Projection: All of Agude's snaps last season were in the final five games which creates optimism that he can build on that going forward. He'll need to ramp up his productivity during this preseason.
#6: Nate Lynn - 23yo
Lynn was an undrafted rookie last season. He had a season-ending shoulder injury last preseason and missed the whole year on IR. While "season-ending" sounds serious, sometimes minor injuries can land fringe players on IR for roster management reasons.
Presumably his shoulder has recovered at this point although residuals are possible. He was a full participant at June OTA which is a good sign.
Projection: Lynn will be competing with other "unprovens" in Agude and Ukwu to try to earn a role with the team this season.
#7: Ahmed Hassanein - 23yo
The Lions had hoped to address the EDGE position earlier in the draft but were not able to land one until the Hassanein selection in the 6th-round. This means that all eyes will be on this Egyptian rookie in the hopes he can outplay his draft status.
He will enter the season healthy despite a minor ankle issue at the end of his college career. That injury is healed up as he was a full participant at OTA.
Projection: Hassanein will be a welcome injection of healthy youth at the EDGE position. His energy and enthusiasm will make him a camp darling as he earns a spot on the 53-man roster.
#8: Isaac Ukwu - 26yo
Ukwu played 70 defensive snaps last year in his first season of action in the NFL. All those snaps came in Week 6 and 7. The lack of playing time for the rest of the season tempers expectations.
He has a history of bilateral ACL tears (2020 and 2019), but those aren't a significant concern now
Projection: Ukwu will get plenty of chances in all four preseason games to see if he can take a step up in productivity.
#9: Keith Cooper - 22yo
Signed after the 2025 draft as an undrafted rookie, Cooper is a bigger EDGE at 280 pounds.
Projection: The Lions seem to favor larger EDGE players which gives Cooper an advantage over some of the other guys in this group. His young age is also a big plus.
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions training camp medical preview: EDGE
