The Detroit Lions will get one of their stars back on the field this Sunday. Brian Branch will return from his season-ending injury just in time to face the Green Bay Packers, giving defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard a dynamic weapon for his secondary.
Notably, it seems that he might not be the only star safety making his return soon. Kerby Joseph just hyped up the fans with a clip of him sprinting and working out with no noticeable limp. He looks as explosive and fast as ever.
This comes just days after head coach Dan Campbell changed his tone about Joseph's injury and potential return. For the first time in months, it looks like Joseph might actually take the field at any point this season.
Kerby Joseph might finally be prorgressing for the Detroit Lions
"He's doing well, you know. I'll leave it at that. He really is. He's doing a good job. I'm not going to give you a timetable, but I've been pleased with where he's at," Campbell said. "He's in a good head space right now, you know, which is great 'cause that's hard, you know, you're coming off this. You're wanting to go and you're working at it, and at some point it's time for football, you know. And we all know that and recognize it, but we'll take it one day at a time."
Joseph's nagging knee injury has kept him off the field since Week 6 of last season. The Lions have been coy and tight-lipped about his situation, but there was a point when it sounded like they didn't even know whether he'd ever be able to return to play.
The Lions have struggled mightily in coverage this season. And while they would still need to add help at cornerback, having their stellar safety duo back on the gridiron would obviously work wonders for this defense.
Joseph is the team's defensive center fielder. He's a ballhawk, a hard-hitting machine who can hold his own with the best of them, and while he's better known for his prowess in coverage, he can also get dirty and stuff the box as a steady contributor to the running game.
Of course, this doesn't mean his return is imminent, so the fans shouldn't get their hopes up. The Lions would still need to open his 21-day practice window, and the Lions will most definitely err on the side of caution with him after such a long and winding road.
This team couldn't keep opposing offenses off the field early in the season, but they still managed to win three of their first five games. Branch's return should help them improve on defense and potentially hold down the fort a bit longer.
It's the first time there's been any sort of encouraging update about Joseph's situation. And while it might still be weeks before we see him take the field, he should be ready to go when it matters the most.
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