Allen Park — As Detroit Lions rookie defensive end Aidan Hutchinson navigates natural rookie struggles, particularly as a pass rusher, one of the factors helping keep him away from the quarterback is the sheer number of double teams he's been facing.
According to data collected by ESPN, Hutchinson is facing the second-highest rate of double-teams among edge rushers, behind only Cleveland's Myles Garrett. But unlike Garrett, who is in his sixth season after going No. 1 overall in the 2017 draft, Hutchinson hasn't been able to consistently overcome the extra blocker.
It's an understandable adjustment for the young player, and he's drawing experience from last season at Michigan, when he set the school's single-season record for sacks despite drawing plenty of extra attention.