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Detroit Lions 'Slowly' Working Back Safety Kerby Joseph

Brad Holmes, Dan Campbell discuss health status of team's starting safeties.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) celebrates with teammates after inception against the Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) celebrates with teammates after inception against the Chicago Bears | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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The Detroit Lions are going to take their time and work back their injured players in a systematic manner.

For safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, both are working diligently throughout the rehabiliation process.

At one time, Detroit's defense featured one of the top safety units in the entire National Football League.

Unfortunately, 2025 proved to be unfortunate for the defense on the injury front, including the units starting safeties.

Joseph was unable to practice consistently due to a knee injury and Branch tore his Achilles tendon in a 44-30 victory at home against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football.

The former third-round pick has been recently posting on social media the work he has been doing on his injured left knee. He has been sharing utilizing acupuncture.

"We've been treating him, he's done a few things. I would say we're in the position now to where we're slowly working him back," said Dan Campbell at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. "What is this gonna look like? How is it going to feel? Call it a month from now, maybe a month and a half, and then I think we'll have a lot better idea. Can we get it stable enough? Can we get enough strength? It's all of those things."

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Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell shakes hands with safety Kerby Joseph (31) during warm up
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell shakes hands with safety Kerby Joseph (31) during warm up | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

General manager Brad Holmes expressed he has been in regular contact with the team's medical staff. The team has not put any firm or hard deadline for either, knowing that both are on track to get themselves as healthy as possible.

Both are fierce competitors who do not like being away from the game for too long.

"They're both doing everything they can to get as healthy as possible. We haven't put a hard timeline or deadline, but we've been in regular communication with our medical staff," Holmes explained. "Our medical staff has been in regular communication with the player, obviously working with them. So, I know that they're on track to get as healthy as possible. But I think in, like, another month or so, then we'll obviously know a lot more."

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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!