The wait might be nearing its end for the Detroit Lions. After months on the sidelines rehabilitating from a knee injury, star safety Kerby Joseph is back in the practice field, and newly released footage from Thursday practice makes the All-Pro’s return seem even more likely.
The Lions had their Thursday practice indoors, where Joseph was among the notable names present. In a recent video posted by The Athletic‘s Colton Pouncy, the Lions safety was seen doing solo drills. He caught the football and ran at impressive speed without hesitation.
The 25-year-old is still at the initial stage of his return-to-play protocol, but his game comeback remains a work in progress. The franchise is ramping up his physical activity and workload slowly. It is his second week of practice with the team, and he looked agile while participating in the individual drills. However, he was spotted wearing a compression sleeve on his left knee, which is likely to minimize the swelling— an issue that was a key factor in his season-ending injury last season.
Patriots Or Buccaneers Emerge As Potential Return Games For Kerby Joseph
When the 2026 season started, Kerby Joseph was put on the PUP list alongside Brian Branch. After weeks of uncertainty, he finally returned to practice on October 28, gracing the gridiron with his team for the first time in ten months. The Lions also opened his 21-day practice evaluation, as his progress is being monitored and whether his knee could take the actual game load.
The Vikings game last weekend was too early to make a comeback. Heading into his second week practice session with the team, the 25-year-old has shown promise in the recently surfaced video, but he is also ruled out of the next game against the Miami Dolphins.
Depending on the evaluation, the Lions will have until November 18 to activate him to the 53-man roster, which means there is a possibility he could make his long-awaited return against the New England Patriots or Tampa Bay Buccaneers if he is cleared.
He had a chronic, degenerative cartilage condition in his left knee from the beginning of the last season. What initially appeared manageable soon became a much bigger concern. After playing through six games, he could no longer suit up, eventually ruling him out of the campaign, as the Lions’ secondary struggles became an issue.
However, the encouraging development didn’t just stop with Joseph. While the recent video gave a positive glimpse of his recovery, Brian Branch was spotted putting in work during practice.
Brian Branch Had Full Practice After Concussion Against The Vikings
Brian Branch just made his comeback from an Achilles tendon injury, starting his first game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday. However, the excitement of the season debut was cut short after he had a concussion following a collision with teammate DJ Wonnum.
Brian Branch was a full participant, while Cade Mays, DJ Wonnum, and DJ Reed all did not practice.
While he was ruled out for the entire game, the Pro Bowl safety was later put in the NFL concussion protocol. Today, he was at the Lions’ practice, whereas Wonnum was absent. According to the practice report today, Branch had a full practice, suggesting he could be a starter against the Dolphins.
Lions’ Kerby Joseph Fuels Comeback Hopes With Newly Emerged Practice Footage