Call it a comeback! Hutchinson, McCaffrey, Prescott, McCarthy aiming to bounce back from injuries

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) – Aidan Hutchinson put his left hand down in a three-point stance and on the snap, made an inside move on an offensive tackle to help collapse a pocket around the passer.

Hutchinson looked like he did on most plays in practice and games during his first two-plus seasons with the Detroit Lions.

The only obvious difference was a black sleeve that covered and supported much of his surgically repaired left leg.

Hutchinson appeared to practice without any limitiations on Sunday, when Detroit kicked off training camp with its first practice.

That was a good sign for him and a franchise that desperately needs him to regain the spectacular form he had before breaking his leg in two places nine months ago against the Dallas Cowboys.

Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, was an early candidate for The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season when he had 7 1/2 sacks in five games for one of the league’s top teams.

His third season ended with a gruesome injury that landed him in a Texas hospital for a couple of days, forcing him into his longest hiatus without football.

Hutchinson’s long wait to play again is expected to end Sept. 7 at Green Bay, where the two-time defending NFC North champions will start the season.

“I don’t think anybody in the game of football will ever be as grateful when I come back in that first game,” Hutchinson said.

San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott and Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy may beg to differ because they, too, are thankful to be on pace to bounce back from injury-shortened seasons.

The two-time All-Pro running back has said he has “zero restrictions” after Achilles tendinitis kept him out of the first eight games last year and a right knee injury relegated him to watching the last five games.

San Francisco slipped last season with McCaffrey limited to four games, going 6-11 after reaching the Super Bowl thanks in part to its dynamic running back. He won the AP Offensive Player of the Year that season after leading the league with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and tying for the NFL lead with 21 touchdowns.

“Last year didn’t go the way I wanted. It didn’t go the way anyone wanted,” he said. “But having this time off has allowed me to start from scratch and have the time where I can build a base again.”

The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is expected to be fully recovered from surgery on his torn hamstring last November. That will give him a chance to live up to the $240 million, four-year contract he signed just before the 2024 season.

The Cowboys are counting on Prescott to bounce back to help them get back to the playoffs following a three-year postseason run with just seven wins last season.

A year after finishing second in AP NFL MVP voting, Prescott had 11 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in eight games last season.

“I’m healthy,” he said. “I’ll be full go for camp.”

The Minnesota Vikings, aiming to earn consecutive postseason bids for the first time since 2009, plan to give McCarthy a shot to take the first snaps this season after he missed his rookie year with a knee surgery.

The Vikings let Sam Darnold depart in free agency, clearing the way for the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft. McCarthy showed no signs of trouble during spring practices and declared himself to be bigger, faster and stronger than he was before he hurt his knee in the team’s first exhibition game on last August.

“When you get it taken away from you, you take every chance you get to be back out here and really appreciate it, really take the most out of it,” McCarthy said. “Nothing better than being out here with the boys playing some ball, so having a great time.”