The Detroit Lions have placed three players on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list ahead of the start of training camp. The team announced on Sunday that Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Tyler Conklin will start on the PUP list.
It’s worth noting that all three players are free to come off the PUP list at any time, and it’s quite common for players to be taken off within days of the start of training camp. However, if the players remain on the PUP list throughout training camp and through roster
cut downs, they move to the reserve/PUP list and must miss at least the first four games of the season.
Branch is likely to stay on the list for some time. He suffered a torn Achilles at the start of December and coach Dan Campbell did not sound optimistic about his chances to return to the field at any point in training camp.
“Uh, I don’t know. I mean, I guess there’s always a chance,” Campbell said.
While Branch was expected to start on PUP, the same can’t be said for Joseph. The other Lions starting safety teased earlier this weekend that he may avoid the PUP list, tweeting, ‘“How much yall wanna bet im not on there.”
Joseph has been dealing with a knee injury that caused him to miss the last 11 games last season. The condition, while unknown, apparently does not have surgery as an option, and Detroit has been doing everything they possibly can to manage it. That may include giving him a late start to training camp.
“We are trying to be as smart as we can and not push this until we absolutely have to because once we’ve done that,” coach Dan Campbell said in the spring. “then we’ll know one way or another.”
Tyler Conklin suffered an unknown injury during spring practices. We’ll likely get some clarification on his status when Campbell is expected to meet with the media ahead of Wednesday’s first training camp practice.
