Availability of Lions Safety in Question Week 9 After Missed Practice

Detroit Lions Week 9 Thursday practice report.

Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) celebrates with teammates after inception against the Chicago Bears | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The availability of Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph against the Minnesota Vikings is now up in the air.

Dan Campbell's squad returned to the practice field on Thursday afternoon, after the players had a scheduled day off on Wednesday.

Those not spotted at the portion of the indoor practice open to the media include Joseph and running back Craig Reynolds.

Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad returned to practice, while cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Khalil Dorsey were spotted working with trainers.

With Avonte Maddox returning to practice, the team adds another veteran option, if Joseph misses his second straight game.

Campbell indicated earlier this week that both the Lions and Vikings are different teams than the ones that squared off in Week 18 at Ford Field last year.

“I think we’re both different teams. I think we’re both about where you – you’re at the midway point and I think, I know for us we’re trying to improve. We’re not where we need to be yet. We’ve got so much room to grow, and I’m sure they feel the same way," said Campbell. "I think we’re finding our way, everybody’s trying to figure out the best way to move the football, stop the football defensively, gain an advantage on special teams. So, I think we’re both teams looking to improve.”

Roster shuffling

Dan Campbell was asked earlier this week how the team balances managing players on injured reserve and deciding whether or not to remove them from the roster or to keep them on as they continue their rehab process.

“That’s tough. That’s something that we go through all the time. And that’s what Brad (Holmes) is constantly – the amount of shuffling and thinking and moving that goes into it to try to help yourself and balance your roster as much as possible by where you’re at, but also where you could be in a week, two weeks, three weeks," said Campbell. "So, there’s nothing easy about it."

The team tends to forecast when a player is truly ready to return and will tailor their practice schedule accordingly.

"I think Brad has done a hell of a job. We talk about it all the time. But I think it’s - look, if you’re not in an immediate pinch and you think this is a four or five-week deal, maybe we hold onto them and we don’t IR them if we can," said Campbell. "Now, you only get eight of them that you can put there and bring back, so that’s the other thing.

"And then just as far as the players, as much as we can, we say, ‘This is where we feel very confident they’re ready to go.’ And a lot of times, not always, it comes back to, ‘Well, let’s give them another week.’ We do our best to try to, man, are they ready? Are they really ready? And then give them some practice time, it doesn't always work that way, but we do the best we can with it.”