Josh Paschal injury update: Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell says edge rusher may miss first four games of 2025 NFL season | NFL News
The Detroit Lions are dealing with more trouble at edge rusher as the offseason winds down. On Thursday, head coach Dan Campbell gave an update on Josh Paschal, who’s still on the non-football injury (NFI) list. Paschal was originally expected to return by early September, but now it looks like he’ll be out longer than first thought. According to Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit, Campbell signaled that Paschal is now likely to begin the 2025 season still on the NFI list. That designation would sideline him for at least the first four games.
Josh Paschal injury: Edge Rusher likely to begin the 2025 NFL season on NFI list
“Dan Campbell says Josh Paschal may return a little later than expected,” Reisman reported. “Heavily implied he’ll start the season on (NFI).” Paschal’s injury has not been disclosed publicly, but his extended absence only adds to growing concerns about the Lions’ already thin edge rotation. Campbell had previously suggested Paschal could be ready by September, but that outlook changed this week. While he didn’t confirm anything outright, the Lions’ head coach made it clear the veteran edge rusher is trending toward missing time to start the season. With Paschal likely out, Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport are the main options at edge rusher. But Davenport has a history of injuries, which makes things even riskier. Without Paschal in Week 1, the Lions might have to rely on young or unproven players to step in.
Rookie Ahmed Hassanein’s injury adds to the Detroit Lions’ defensive concerns
To make matters worse, Detroit also lost rookie Ahmed Hassanein to a pectoral injury during last week’s preseason matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Campbell revealed that the rookie will be sidelined “for a while,” and while Hassanein says surgery won’t be necessary, there’s still a chance he could miss the entire year. “[Hassanein will be out] for a while,” Campbell said when asked about the rookie’s status. That leaves the Lions extremely short-handed behind their top two edge defenders, especially with no concrete return date for either Paschal or Hassanein.
The Detroit Lions may need to act quickly
The Lions were already short on edge rushers going into camp, and with both Josh Paschal and Ahmed Hassanein likely missing the start of the season, depth is now a serious concern. Aidan Hutchinson is still the leader on the defensive line, but relying too much on Marcus Davenport could be risky because of his injury history.Also read: Kylie Kelce backs Taylor Swift’s viral ‘male sports fans’ line, calls it ‘one of the most badass things’At this point, it looks like the Lions may need outside help. One name being mentioned is Za’Darius Smith, a veteran edge rusher who could bring much-needed experience and production.
