Kerby Joseph will miss at least the first four games after being placed on the physically unable to perform list late last month. But the former All-Pro safety is back at the Detroit Lions’ Allen Park facility, coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday, Sept. 8.
“He’s here,” Campbell said. “Doing good. He’s ramping up.”
Joseph had been away from the team since early August, dealing with a personal matter. He has yet to practice this year after missing the final 11 games last year with a degenerative knee condition.
Joseph’s absence has hovered over a secondary that will also begin the season without star safety Brian Branch. Like Joseph, Branch was placed on PUP as he continues his recovery from a ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered last December.
“Those
guys are working their [butts] off,” safeties coach Jim O’Neil said. “They’re in the meetings. They’re active participants. I know they’re crushing rehab from what I hear, in the videos I see. So, they’re doing good.”
In the meantime, veterans Chuck Clark and Avonte Maddox are standing in for them.
“Their ability to process information pre-snap and then put themselves or their teammates in position to make plays, it’s really what stands out to me as their superpower,” O’Neil said.
Call-up for Kennedy
The Lions have open spot on their active roster. It’s unclear if practice squad receiver Tom Kennedy will take it. But there is no doubt he will be promoted in some capacity ahead of the opener against the New Orleans on Sunday.
“Tom Kennedy is playing in this game,” Campbell announced.
The news isn’t all that surprising considering the Lions had a hole to fill at punt returner after the Lions released Greg Dortch late last month.
Kennedy has handled that duty in the past, fielding six punts and returning four with an average gain of 14.8 yards.
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions safety Kerby Joseph is back with the team as he rehabs
