Brad Holmes sounds ready to make Kerby Joseph the highest-paid safety in the NFL

The Lions reward their own like few teams do, and Brad Holmes sounds ready to make Kerby Joseph next.

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Going into this season, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell called for safety Kerby Joseph to fully assert himself in his third season. He certainly heeded that call, leading the league with nine interceptions, finishing as Pro Football Focus' No. 1-graded safety and being named First Team All-Pro.

As a third-round pick in 2022, Joseph is also now headed toward the final year of his rookie contract. So a contract extension is on the radar for him this offseason, and during his season-wrap up press conference on Thursday general manager Brad Holmes made it clear Joseph is seen as a core player.

"That's on the docket, in terms of to be looked at and discussed. We know where he's at from an eligibility (standpoint). I mean, he's an All-Pro player," Holmes said. "I don't know how you don't make the Pro Bowl with nine interceptions, whatever that is. He's an All-Pro player, and he's another one that's gotten better and better, and he's another one that's proven he's a Detroit Lion. He fits, he fits our culture. It's hard to find ball-hawk guys that will tackle how he does. I think that's what makes him unique. Again, we haven't had intense dialogue about that yet, but obviously we want to keep the good players here."

The Lions reward their own like few if any teams do. Joseph is among those next up for a long-term deal, and when it comes down to it the money he lost to being perhaps the most egregious Pro Bowl snub this will be made up for with is new contract.

Kerby Joseph contract extension: A look at his market value

Determining what Joseph's contract extension will look like of course has to start with a look at the broader safety market.

The top of the market at safety in per year average is Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield ($21 million), via the four-year, $84.1 million deal he signed last offseason. Next up is Derwin James ($19.1 million per year), followed by Minkah Fitzpatrick ($18.4 million per year), Budda Baker ($18 million per year), Xavier McKinney ($16.75 million) and Jessie Bates ($16 million).

A four-year deal is the baseline for Joseph, if only based on his age. Spotrac's market value projection for him is indeed that, as they project a four-year, $92.89 million deal ($23.2 million per year) for Joseph. Spotract used Winfield, James, Fitzpatrick and McKinney as the comps for Joseph.

Would the Lions make Joseph the highest-paid safety in the NFL? With everything else that's been done and is coming on the contract front for them, it looks like it'll be difficult to do so. That said, Holmes basically said every effort will be made to give Joseph a contract extension that reflects his production and his being a core piece of the defense.

Joseph has a chance to reset the top of the safety market with his second contract, and if not it'll surely be close.

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