The good news is Kerby Joseph is back in practice, but the bad news is Detroit Lions fans will not see him in action against the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. His return to practice is certainly an encouraging update, and the franchise is not rushing it, given his lengthy absence from the game.
During his appearance on 97.1 The Ticket’s ‘Costa and Jansen with Heather‘ this morning, Dan Campbell broke the news of the All-Pro safety’s unavailability this weekend.
“Kerby will be in practice this week,” said Campbell. “We’re going to try to get him some scout team reps. He’s not gonna play this game. I know that was coming. He’s not playing versus Miami. He’s just gonna get some reps in practice.”
The 25-year-old started the season on the PUP list amid a knee injury from last season, but he officially returned to practice on October 28, which marked his first official practice with the team in about ten months. The Lions have been taking a careful approach in his first 21-day evaluation period, as he had limited practice last week with individual drills and light group work.
It remains to be seen when Joseph suits up for his season debut, but a mid-season return could be a significant boost to the team‘s struggling secondary.
Lions’ Playoff Hopes Could Get A Major Boost From Kerby Joseph’s Return
The Lions are 5-2, and the next game will be crucial given the cutthroat competition in the NFC North. Despite an impressive winning record, they sit in third place behind the divisional leader, the Minnesota Vikings (6-1), and last season’s NFC North winner, the Chicago Bears (6-2).
That said, the Lions may not feel the absence of Joseph just yet when they face off against the Dolphins next Sunday. The Miami franchise is heading to the game with a 1-6 record, whereas the Lions are heading to this game with full confidence after stopping the unbeaten run of the Vikings.
When healthy, Joseph is one of the elite defensive playmakers in the NFL. With 20 career interceptions, he possesses the skills for creative, game-changing turnovers, and his All-Pro 2024 campaign accumulated a career-best 9 interceptions. He also has excellent coverage instincts that could solve the Lions’ secondary issues this season, and he has 265 tackles in four NFL campaigns. His addition could push the Lions’ playoff chances in another closely contested season in the NFC North.
With the anticipated comeback, he could reunite with fellow Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch.
Dan Campbell Could Soon Have His Star Safety Duo Back On The Field
The healthy duo of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch is one of the most effective safety duos in the league, playing together since 2022. But both safeties endured injuries last season and were on the PUP list before making their recent returns to the gridiron.
Branch started the last game against the Vikings, his first start of the season, but it was cut short after a concussion. He is currently evaluated under the NFL concussion protocol. If Branch clears the protocol this week, he could feature against the Dolphins. Otherwise, there is a chance both safeties could be back together for the first time this season when the Lions take on the Patriots in Week 10.
Lions’ Hopes of Kerby Joseph Return Take a Hit Ahead of Dolphins Game