ALLEN PARK -- Kerby Joseph’s injured knee isn’t healing as fast as the Detroit Lions hoped it would.
Joseph has missed the team’s last two games, with the bye week sandwiched between those DNPs. The All-Pro safety has been dealing with knee issues since training camp. Joseph played through the issues for the first six games. But the Lions hoped the bye week would let his knee calm down, saying he needed some time to rest to get better.
After missing two games and getting the bye to recover, it’s still not where the Lions would like. Dan Campbell offered an update during an interview with 97.1 The Ticket, saying they aren’t going to rush Joseph back to action.
“The irritation is not going away as fast as we had hoped,” Campbell said Tuesday." There is improvement. But it’s just not quite there yet. We’re not going to force this thing until we get it as calmed down as we possibly can. Because we don’t want to revisit this every week once he comes back. Maybe that happens anyway whenever he comes back.
“But we were hoping it would resolve itself a little quicker and cleaner. But it’s just not there yet.”
Joseph, last year’s NFL interception king, has three interceptions across his six games played this season. He’s remained in good spirits, even dressing as Super Mario for last week’s game, and has been putting in “coaches’ hours” in treatment and on the quest to get right and back on the field.
These comments from Campbell put Joseph’s status for this weekend’s game against the Washington Commanders very much in jeopardy.
Thomas Harper has started the last two games at safety with Joseph out. Brian Branch was back in the starting lineup at the other safety spot after serving his one-game suspension. The Lions also have Erick Hallett II, Avonte Maddox and Jammie Robinson as options for safety depth.
The NFL’s trade deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Athletic reported over the weekend that the Lions were checking around for defensive line and safety help.
They hope to get edge defenders Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal back before the end of the season. Davenport is expected back, but he might need a couple more weeks. Paschal (back) sounds at least one month away, if not more, from returning, so looking for depth there makes sense.
Depending on how long the Lions expect to be without Joseph, it also doesn’t hurt to check in about any potential upgrades at safety.
Harper has been solid in relief. He has allowed only one catch on four targets for 7 yards in coverage. He’s played 115 of his 139 defensive snaps at free safety. And Hallett made some plays in the game before the bye, too. Maddox also returned to action last weekend against the Minnesota Vikings, but was limited to special teams.
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