Dallas Lions fans have been holding out hope that standout safety Kerby Joseph would return to the field at some point this season.
Joseph has been dealing with a knee injury, which has sidelined him for several weeks. The last time we saw the 25-year-old on the field was in Week 6 vs. Kansas City. Without Joseph on the field, the Lions have had to depend on Thomas Harper, who has surprisingly played well.
When Joseph spoke to reporters last week, he gave a less-than-ideal update on his injury. “My knee messed up,” he said via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “... You don’t fix it. You just keep the faith.”
On Friday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell provided a somber update on the veteran defender, who might’ve played his last snap this season. According to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, Campbell said that Joseph suffered a setback and he doesn’t “feel good” about him playing on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
Campbell also said that he feels like Joseph could be an injured reserve candidate, and added, “It bothers him, that’s the best way to say it.”
Lions Just Crushed Kerby Joseph Return Dream in Week 15
This is not the news that Lions fans wanted to hear, as there was still hope that he could play this week. Joseph started this week as a limited participant on Wednesday, but was quickly downgraded to DNP on Thursday, which is never a good sign.
If the Lions were to place Joseph on injured reserve over the next 24 hours, he’d miss the next four games, which means he could return in the Wild Card round. However, it's not a guarantee that the Lions will make the playoffs, as they’re a game behind the Chicago Bears, who possess the No. 7 seed.
That said, even if the Lions do get into the playoffs, it might be better for Joseph to rest and get healthy. Harper has played admirably well in relief of Joseph, showing Detroit that he can be a starting-caliber safety.
The Lions’ safety unit was already in trouble once they found out that Brian Branch would be out for the rest of the season due to a torn Achilles. They’ll have to do some reshuffling at that spot to see what works.
However, at least they know they got a sure thing with Harper at Joseph’s spot. For Lions fans, this season is eerily similar to last season with the injuries, which is disappointing to say the least.