Detroit Lions release DL Josh Paschal

In a notable offseason move by the Detroit Lions on March 11, the franchise announced it has released defensive lineman Josh Paschal after just four injury-riddled seasons.

Paschal, Detroit's second-round selection (No. 46 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft, unfortunately suffered from several injuries throughout his tenure in the Motor City, which significantly limited his ability to have an impact on the field.

Due to the plethora of injuries, Paschal missed 15 total games in his first three seasons and sat out the entire 2025 season after undergoing back surgery.

Interestingly enough, Paschal’s contract was initially set to expire at the start of the new league year (March 11), but his contract actually tolled a year because he spent the entire 2026 season on the non-football injury list.

As Paschal’s time with the Lions ends, he will have played just 36 games (18 starts), recording 62 tackles (20 solo and 42 assisted), 5.0 sacks, and one forced fumble.

Along with the numerous other positions of need on the team, the Lions will have a lot of work to do at defensive end in either free agency or at the upcoming 2026 NFL draft.

The team currently has only Aidan Hutchinson , Tyler Lacy , and Ahmed Hassanein on the defensive line under contract, while Marcus Davenport and Al-Quadin Muhammad are now unrestricted free agents. Additionally, the Lions have already lost Tyrus Wheat , who agreed on a contract to rejoin the Dallas Cowboys .

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions release DL Joshua Paschal