The Detroit Lions have become one of the top contenders in the NFL the past two seasons and there have been several contributors to their success. While the rise of a coaching staff that includes Dan Campbell and two new head coaches in Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn played a role, it’s been the players who have brought their philosophies to life.
It’s produced new stars in Detroit including defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. But for all the players that have helped the Lions become a legitimate Super Bowl threat, one's 2024 performance helped him get handsomely rewarded this offseason.
Lions Safety Kerby Joseph Gets Massive Performance Bonus After All-Pro Season
Kerby Joseph was the latest Lions player to be rewarded for his All-Pro campaign as he collected $996,253 for performance-based pay this week. The bonus was the highest among safeties and third highest among secondary players with Carolina Panthers quarterback Michael Jackson ($1.035 million) and Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones ($1.06 million) receiving more.
Chicago Bears offensive tackle Matt Pryor ($1.02 million), Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Daniel Faalele ($1.02 million) and New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood ($1.09 million) were the only other players to receive more than Joseph did last season.
Joseph’s play was more than deserving of a bonus. The 24-year-old broke out with 164 total tackles and eight interceptions in his first two seasons after being selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft but turned in an All-Pro season with a league-high nine interceptions last year.
The Illinois product was also Pro Football Focus’s best-graded safety last season, finishing with an overall grade of 90.4 and a coverage grade of 91.1.
Joseph may have lost out on more money after he was snubbed for this year’s Pro Bowl but he’ll probably be able to get over that when he negotiates an extension in the coming months. The Detroit Free Press’s Dave Birkett reports that Joseph’s representation met with the Lions at the NFL Scouting Combine and general manager Brad Holmes mentioned that an extension is “on the docket” for this offseason.
A new deal could surpass Antoine Winfield’s four-year, $84.1 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last spring and make Joseph the highest-paid safety in the NFL.