Detroit Lions defensive linemen Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal are both slated to remain under contract for the 2026 NFL season due to specific provisions outlined in the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
Under the CBA, a player’s contract can be extended into an additional season if he is in the final year of his deal and spends a qualifying amount of time on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Article 20, Section 2 of the agreement explains that players placed on PUP continue to receive their full Paragraph 5 salary. However, if the player is in the final year of his contract and remains unable to play through the sixth regular-season game—and is never activated to the team’s Active/Inactive list during the regular season or playoffs—the contract is extended by one year. Notably, even if the player resumes practicing but is never officially activated, the contract still rolls over.
As a result, Onwuzurike is now under contract for 2026 with a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.5 million. The former second-round selection signed a one-year agreement last offseason worth $4 million, which includes incentives that could push the total value to $5.5 million. He will be 27 years old during the 2026 season.
Paschal’s situation differs slightly. The defensive lineman missed much of the 2025 campaign due to a back injury but eventually returned to practice. Because of that, his $1 million base salary for 2026 is not guaranteed. While his contract was also extended, it falls under a separate section of the CBA.
Article 20, Section 3, Part B addresses players placed on the Non-Football Injury/Illness (N-F/I) list during the final year of their contract. In those cases, the contract is tolled unless the player is physically able to perform by the sixth regular-season game. If the player is healthy by that point, the team must pay the remaining prorated portion of his base salary for the season in order for the contract to be extended. However, if the player is removed from the N-F/I list during the timeframe allowed by league rules, the contract does not toll.
