Recent Day 2 Lions draft pick dubbed cut candidate ahead of 2025 NFL season originally appeared on The Sporting News
A recent Day 2 draft pick of the Detroit Lions is in danger of getting cut.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski lists edge rusher Josh Paschal as a premier cut candidate for the Lions ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
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“Paschal has dealt with injuries throughout his career. At this juncture, the direction in which the Lions ultimately take remains up in the air, with a potential key contributor on the bubble for one of the NFC’s best squads,” Sobleski wrote.
The No.46 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Paschal has struggled with injuries to begin his career and is currently on the Non-football injury list.
Head coach Dan Campbell expects the young edge rusher to begin practicing in September, but Campbell also said he wants Paschal to practice for a few weeks before returning to game action, meaning the 25-year-old likely won’t be ready for Week 1.
The Lions could keep Paschal on the roster and wait for him to get healthy. However, there is also a scenario where the team cuts him and rolls with the current edge rusher room of Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and rookie sixth-round pick Ahmed Hassanein.
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Additionally, letting Paschal take up a roster spot could lead to Detroit being forced to cut another player they wanted to keep on the 53-man roster. For example, undrafted free agent edge rusher Keith Cooper Jr. is making a case for a roster spot, and he could miss out on making the team if Paschal is kept.
Paschal has tallied just five sacks in his first three seasons and has been a major disappointment as a second-round pick. A fresh start would be beneficial for both sides, so even if Paschal doesn’t get cut ahead of the season, his days in Detroit are numbered.
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