The Lions will not have one of their key defenders early on in the 2026 season.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that safety Kerby Joseph is being moved to the reserve/physically unable to perform list, which means he will be out for at least the season’s first four weeks.

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Joseph has been sidelined by a degenerative knee condition that also kept him out for much of last season. Joseph was only able to play six games in 2025, recording 18 total tackles with three interceptions.

Joseph was an AP first-team All-Pro selection in 2024 when he recorded a league-leading nine interceptions.