Lions’ Kerby Joseph to start season on PUP, out at least 4 games with knee injury

Veteran safety Kerby Joseph has been working his way back from a knee injury he suffered last year, with the hopes of contributing to the Detroit Lions’ defense. However, he will not be available for the first four games of the 2026-27 season after the club’s latest decision.

Reports indicate that the Lions plan to move the 25-year-old to the reserve/PUP, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. That means the Lions will be without Joseph for at least the first four games of the new campaign.

“The Lions plan to move safety Kerby Joseph to reserve/PUP, meaning he’ll miss a minimum of four games, per source,” Fowler reported.

Joseph initially suffered the knee injury in last year’s training camp. After recovering from the injury, he aggravated his knee again after suffering a bone bruise in Week 4 last season. Kerby Joseph played through the pain before injuring his knee again in Week 6 last year. It’s been a long road to recovery, and the Lions star will need several more weeks to eventually make a full recovery.

When healthy, Joseph has proven to be a reliable starter since being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s a turnover machine and consistent defender, as he has recorded 265 combined tackles (196 solo), 20 interceptions, and one fumble recovery in 55 career games played. He’s also managed to return one of those picks for a touchdown in the 2024-25 campaign.

The safety’s in Detroit are both going to miss the first four games of the season, as Brian Branch is working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon. That means the Lions will have to rely on Avonte Maddoz and Chuck Clark for the first few games.

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