Joseph (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Vikings.
Joseph -- who opened the regular season on the reserve/PUP list while recovering from knee injury from the 2025 campaign -- was cleared to return to practice Wednesday and was limited in all three sessions of Week 8 prep. He's not quite ready to be activated from the PUP, but head coach Dan Campbell said Friday that Joseph has "responded well to individual work," per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Joseph's next opportunity to make his 2026 debut is Week 9 against the Dolphins on Sunday, Nov. 8.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Limited again Thursday
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Joseph (knee) was limited in Thursday's practice.
The Lions opened the 21-day practice window for Joseph on Wednesday. While he has been practicing in a limited capacity, there's still a chance he won't be cleared to suit up for Sunday's NFC North clash with the Vikings. If that is the case, Joseph's next opportunity to play will come in Week 9 in Miami.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Cleared to return to practice
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The Lions opened the 21-day practice window for Joseph (knee) on Wednesday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Joseph opened the regular season on the reserve/PUP list due to a knee injury that he suffered in Week 6 of the 2025 season. He's progressed enough in his recovery to return to practice and was limited in Wednesday's session, and there's a chance that he's activated from the PUP list before Sunday's NFC North tilt against the Vikings. The addition of Joseph would bolster a Lions secondary that welcomed back Brian Branch, who picked off Jordan Love in Detroit's Week 7 win over Green Bay.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Expected to play this season
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Lions head coach Dan Campbell stated Kerby (knee) "is in a good headspace" and expects the 25-year-old to play at some point this season, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
Joseph has been sidelined for over a year after sustaining a knee injury in the Week 6 meeting with the Chiefs during the 2025 campaign. While there was hope he would be ready to get back on the field early in the 2026 season, he remains on the reserve/PUP list. With Kerby still out of commission, Chuck Clark is projected to continue handling most of the work at free safety for the foreseeable future.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Stays on reserve/PUP list
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The Lions placed Joseph (knee) on the reserve/PUP list Sunday, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.
Joseph was placed on the active/PUP list in late July and missed the entirety of the preseason due to a lingering knee injury he suffered during Week 6 of the 2025 campaign. The safety will need to miss the first four games of the season at least before he is eligible to return to the Lions' active roster. With Brian Branch (Achilles) also on the reserve/PUP list, Avonte Maddox and Chuck Clark will likely be the starting safety duo for the Lions' Week 1 contest against the Saints.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Could be back early in season
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Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Tuesday that Joseph (knee/personal) could be back on the field with the Lions early on in the upcoming regular season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Campbell relayed that Joseph is currently away from the team to attend to a personal matter but added that the fifth-year safety's rehab from his knee injury is "coming along very well." Joseph missed the final 13 games of the regular season due to a knee injury and opened camp on the active/PUP list. A stint on injured reserve may not be necessary for the 2022 third-rounder, though it's unclear whether he'll suit up for the Lions' regular-season opener against the Saints on Sunday, Sept. 13.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Moved to PUP
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The Lions placed Joseph (knee) on the active/PUP list Sunday.
Joseph is continuing to battle a lingering knee injury that forced him to miss Detroit's final 13 games of the 2025 season. The 25-year-old could now be in danger of missing time during the upcoming campaign if he's unable to progress in his recovery.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Placed on IR
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The Lions placed Joseph (knee) on injured reserve Saturday.
Joseph will miss the remainder of the regular season due to his knee injury, but he could be a candidate to return to action during the playoffs, if Detroit progresses to the postseason. Thomas Harper is set to handle a starting role at free safety versus the Steelers on Sunday, and for the remainder of the regular season, with Joseph sidelined.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Ruled out for Sunday
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Joseph (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Steelers.
Joseph's knee injury is severe enough that the safety was an IR candidate last week. Since then, it seems he has been able to progress enough that he will be able to stay on the active roster, though he will be missing consecutive games. With the starter ruled out, Thomas Harper is in line to play significant snaps at free safety in Sunday's contest.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Possible IR candidate
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Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Friday that Joseph (knee) is a possible injured reserve candidate, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Joseph appeared as a limited participant in practice Wednesday but appeared to have suffered a setback after no participation Thursday or Friday. It looks as though the 25-year-old is set to miss an extended period of time, and it's currently unknown when he will return this season. Thomas Harper will remain as a starting safety in Kerby's absence.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Intends to return in 2025
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Joseph has been sidelined since Week 6 due to a knee injury, but the fourth-year safety intends to return in 2025 and seek treatment for his injury during the offseason, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
Joseph has not been placed on the Lions' injured reserve despite the prolonged absence. He returned to practice as a limited participant Monday -- his first action since the injury -- but did not participate in Tuesday's session. Joseph faces an uphill battle to be cleared to play against the Cowboys on Thursday, but with more practices under his belt, he could be available for the Lions' Week 15 road tilt against the Rams on Sunday, Dec. 14.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Won't play Thanksgiving Day
Rotowire
Joseph (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Packers.
Joseph will end up missing a sixth consecutive game due to a knee injury he picked up in Week 6 against the Chiefs. His next opportunity to play is Week 14 against the Cowboys on Thursday, Dec. 4, though he's unlikely to be available for that game unless he returns to practice in at least a limited capacity.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Estimated as DNP on Monday
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Joseph (knee) was listed as a non-participant on Monday's estimated practice report.
Detroit held a walkthrough Monday after beating the Giants in overtime Sunday. The Lions have a quick turnaround ahead of a Thursday afternoon meeting with the Packers on Thanksgiving. Joseph hasn't played since Week 6 against the Chiefs.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Out versus G-Men
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Joseph (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Giants, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Joseph has been sidelined since being injured Week 6 against the Chiefs. Thomas Harper and Brian Branch should once again handle safety duties for Detroit.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Missing fourth straight game
Rotowire
Joseph (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Eagles.
Joseph has been unable to practice since injuring his knee during the Lions' Week 6 loss to the Chiefs and will miss a fourth consecutive game as a result. Thomas Harper will continue to start at safety alongside Brian Branch for as long as Joseph is out of action. Joseph's next opportunity to play is Week 12 against the Giants on Sunday, Nov. 23.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Remains on injury report
Rotowire
Joseph (knee) didn't participate in Detroit's practice Wednesday.
Joseph remains sidelined after missing the team's last three games with the knee injury he sustained in the Week 6 loss to the Chiefs. If he's unable to return to practice before Sunday's matchup versus the Eagles, Thomas Harper would likely make his fourth consecutive start at safety.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Still working through knee issue
Rotowire
The Lions listed Joseph (knee) as a non-participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report.
Joseph is recovering from a knee injury he sustained during the Lions' Week 6 loss to the Chiefs, which prevented him from playing against the Buccaneers in Week 7. The Lions didn't hold a practice Wednesday, so the 2022 third-rounder will have two more chances to practice in at least a limited capacity ahead of Sunday's NFC North tilt against the Vikings. Joseph's return would mean less defensive snaps at safety for Thomas Harper and Erick Hallett.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Held out of Friday's practice
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Joseph (knee) did not practice Friday, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
Joseph has been held out of the first two practices of the week due to a knee injury that he appeared to aggravate during the Lions' Week 6 loss to the Chiefs. The 2022 third-rounder would likely have to practice in at least a limited capacity Saturday in order to have a realistic chance of playing against the Buccaneers on Monday night. With Brian Branch suspended for one game, the Lions would have to turn to Thomas Harper, Erick Hallett and Jammie Robinson to step up at safety if Joseph is not cleared to play.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Misses practice Thursday
Rotowire
Joseph (knee) did not practice Thursday.
Joseph was briefly forced out of Detroit's loss to the Chiefs in Week 6 due to a knee injury, though he managed to retake the field and finish the contest with four solo tackles. Now, though, he'll likely need to take part in at least limited on-field reps Friday and/or Saturday in order to be cleared for Monday's matchup against the Buccaneers.
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Lions' Kerby Joseph: Questionable to return Sunday
Rotowire
Joseph (knee) is questionable to return to Sunday night's contest against the Chiefs.
Joseph was limited by a knee injury at practice all week, and although he was cleared to play Sunday, he now appears to have potentially aggravated his knee. In his absence, Thomas Harper stands to see an increase in workload in Detroit's secondary versus Kansas City.
