The Detroit Lions' defense has regained its championship form this season. While defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has gotten the most out of the group and star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson’s return was rewarded with a lucrative contract extension, there have been other players leading the way, including Lions safety Kerby Joseph.
Joseph was another player who was in the Lions’ most recent wave of extensions, and he’s performed well with 18 total tackles, three interceptions, and four pass deflections in the first six games. But the performance has been even more impressive considering he’s been dealing with a knee injury.
The injury, which was suffered in a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns, has been bugging Joseph all season, and he’s even left a pair of games to go get treatment. Secondary coach Jim O’Neil also added to the concerns with Joseph’s knee, indicating that he’s been putting in plenty of work to make sure he’s on the field.
“He’s working coaches’ hours because he’s here early in the morning getting treatment,” O’Neil said via Benjamin Raven of MLive.com. “He’s in the meeting rooms after getting treatment. He’s doing everything. I know last week he spent the whole week, you know, taking care of himself and doing some things out on his own.”
Kerby Joseph Fighting Through Injury, but Lions Coach Sees No Drop-Off
O’Neil’s comments indicate that Joseph is working through a significant injury, and his grades at Pro Football Focus indicate it may be affecting his performance. After logging a 90.7 overall grade and 91.5 coverage grade with Detroit last season, those numbers have dropped to 59.1 overall and 57.4, respectively, this season. Even if PFF grades are arbitrary, his missed tackle rate has jumped from 6.3% last season to a career-high 27.3% this season, proving that he isn't passing the eye test either.
While he’s still grabbing interceptions and has 20 since coming into the league as a third-round pick in the 2022 draft, the analytics say he hasn’t been playing at the All-Pro level he did a year ago. But O’Neil disputes that claim, noting he hasn’t seen a drop off through the injury.
“Just how he’s attacked it professionally, and how he’s helped some of the young guys that have come in, too... But when he goes, I haven’t seen a drop,” O’Neil continued. “I think he’s been the same Kerby that we’re all used to seeing. I’m sure there are a few plays this year that he would like to have back. You know what I mean? But that’s with everybody.”
The Lions have played well despite Joseph’s injury, but they could use the All-Pro version of him soon. Starting cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold are currently on the shelf with injuries, and it remains to be seen if Brian Branch’s new attitude will keep him out of trouble for the remainder of the season.
With that said, the Lions may be able to afford to limit Joseph’s snaps with winnable games against the Minnesota Vikings (Nov. 2), Washington Commanders (Nov. 9), and New York Giants (Nov. 23) on the schedule. But O’Neil’s comments suggest it may not be resolved until after the season, and Joseph will have to play through the pain to help the team.