Lions set to inevitably move on from draft pick who hasn't panned out at all

The draft has been the core of the Detroit Lions' blueprint for success, as general manager Brad Holmes and the front office have scouted and drafted several stalwarts.

But no front office's draft record is perfect, and the Lions have had a few misses in recent years. Compared to franchise history pre-Holmes those misses have been very mild, but the time is coming for some of those mistakes to be acknowledged with what may (or may not) be some tough decisions.

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report has named seven big-name NFL players who are on the roster bubble and could be cut. Lions defensive end Josh Paschal rounded out the list.

"Josh Paschal certainly isn't the most high-profile defender, either. However, he was a key contributor and starter for the Detroit Lions last season.When Aidan Hutchinson suffered a broken leg, Paschal stepped into the Lions' lineup and started 11 straight games.

"Paschal is a former second-round pick by the team. In his first two seasons, he started only a handful of games. More should be expected of him. Yet the defensive lineman isn't expected to be back onto the field and in the lineup until 'early September' according to head coach Dan Campbell. Pachall is currently on Detroit's non-football injury list."

Lions move to cut bait with Josh Paschal is becoming inevitable

Paschal indeed started the last 11 games he played in last season, counting the Lions' playoff game, as he set career-highs in games played (14) and snaps (549) during the regular season. He had two sacks, over back-to-back games he suited up for on each side of a two-game absence, and four of his five tackles for loss on the season came before Thanksgiving (with the fifth on Thanksgiving Day).

Pro Football Focus credited Paschal with a solid 34 quarterback pressures last season, but his pass-rush win rate (5.5 percent) and overall PFF grade (53.0) were both outside the top-100 among edge rushers.

Over his three seasons, around injuries and multiple opportunities when someone on the Lions' defensive line missed time, Paschal has flashed far too infrequently for someone who was a top-50 overall pick. Now he's going to miss all of training camp with an injury that hasn't been disclosed, and doesn't have to be disclosed right now.

READ MORE: This Lions rookie's camp reps are starting to feel like something bigger

The early-September recovery timeline for Paschal from his unknown latest injury necessarily complicates the decision to cut him, when it might otherwise become easy. Sobleski acknowledged that.

"Multiple paths can be taken from this point forward. With Paschal expected back around the start of the regular season, the Lions can keep him on the roster. Or, the organization can cut him outright because it's comfortable with Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad and rookie Ahmed Hassanein as their edge-defenders. A third option does exist where the Lions cut him at the final preseason deadline in order so they don't have to carry him on the active roster, thus costing someone else a spot and possibly re-sign him down the road when he's cleared by medical personnel."

"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."

The Lions could also place Paschal on IR after roster cuts are done, which would cost him at least the first four games of the season and open a spot on the active roster. Putting him on IR at roster cuts would cost him the entire season, which would be surprising but not out of the realm of possibility.

Being on the NFI list is the one thing that can save Paschal from being cut at this point, but he can be taken off the list at any time. So if he's able to beat the return timeline Campbell quickly laid out at the start of training camp, the inevitable move to cut a rare recent Lions' draft disappointment could follow quickly.

More Lions news and analysis