By Sunday 
Another Bite at the Roster Apple?
The Detroit Lions find themselves in a good place this offseason—coming off a stellar 2024 campaign, returning much of their talent, and primed for another deep playoff run. But as teams fine-tune their rosters before the season begins, one player is being eyed as a possible odd man out.
Josh Paschal, a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is the latest name floated as a trade candidate, and some are calling for the Lions to move “immediately.”
Not Quite Living Up to the Hype
Efstathios Savvidis of Detroit Jock City didn’t mince words in a recent column. Despite seeing time as a starter in 10 games last season, Paschal’s production has failed to match his draft-day promise. Just two sacks, five tackles for loss, and eight QB hits—numbers that don’t quite scream “cornerstone edge rusher.”
And if the stats didn’t tell enough of a story, Pro Football Focus certainly did: Paschal earned a dismal 54.5 overall grade, ranking him 154th out of 211 qualified edge defenders. His pass rush grade? Even lower, at 48.
“Paschal wasn’t able to make an impact,” Savvidis wrote bluntly, even as Detroit’s defense was stretched thin last season.
A Case for Change — and a Counterargument
Savvidis believes the Lions should shop Paschal now, arguing, “Although Paschal has been solid in the run game… he hasn’t evolved into a quality starting edge player.” Instead, trading him could help shore up the Lions’ secondary, which ranked 30th in passing yards allowed per game in 2024.
On paper, the logic holds: Paschal still holds some value as a young, athletic player. A change of scenery could spark the career revival he needs, while Detroit adds assets to help fill a more pressing need.
But there’s another side to the coin. With a new defensive staff in place for 2025, some argue it might be worth giving Paschal a final shot. If the Lions can’t get much in return, why not see how he fares under a new scheme?
The Bottom Line
This is one of those classic NFL crossroads: keep trying to develop a young player who hasn’t hit stride yet, or trade him now and avoid losing him for nothing later.
Either way, Dan Campbell and the Lions front office have a decision to make—one that may not define their season but could quietly shape the team’s long-term depth and flexibility on defense.