Two weeks ago, the Detroit Lions started Kerby Joseph's 21-day practice window. Things were looking up for the star safety following his nagging knee problems. Joseph was back at practice, he was sharing hype videos on social media, and all signs were pointing towards his imminent return.
Since then, there have been concerning developments about his outlook. On Tuesday, head coach Dan Campbell said that he doesn't expect Joseph to be activated and play in Week 10 in Germany.
This comes on the heels of the Lions trading for veteran safety Andre Cisco a day before the deadline. This already raised eyebrows about Joseph's availability in the second half of the season. The fact that Joseph won't be ready to play almost three weeks after returning to practice isn't a great sign, either.
What are Detroit's Kerby Joseph options?
21-day practice window means that Joseph can practice with the team until November 17, and the Lions have until the next day to activate him. So, even if Joseph is unable to go in Munich against the New England Patriots, he has a few more days before the Lions have to make a decision on him.
The Lions can activate Joseph by November and have him on the 53-man roster for the rest of the season. Otherwise, his season is over. Of course, when they activate Joseph, they will have to create a roster spot, which means that there is a risk of losing a valuable backup. Unless the Lions are sure that Joseph can come back and be a contributor, it will be difficult for Detroit to make that call.
Assuming that Joseph will indeed miss Week 10, his next opportunity to suit up will be on November 22nd against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions will have made a decision on his season before that date.
Of course, there is a chance that the Lions activate him but still don't play him. He could be a healthy scratch until he is ready to go out there. The problem is that we are slowly entering the final stretch of the season. Joseph last played on October 12, 2025. Would the Lions really throw him out there after a 13- or 14-month hiatus in the midst of a postseason race?
If the Lions make any more moves to address their defensive backfield between now and the 4 pm trade deadline, it will be clear that they don't feel great about Joseph's rest-of-season outlook. Lions fans will continue to hold their breath until they see their All-Pro defender back in action.
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