Following Rod Wood's comments about extensions, the Detroit Lions signed Kerby Joseph to a four-year, $86 million extension one day before the 2025 NFL Draft.
This $21.5 million annual paycheck makes Joseph the highest-paid safety in NFL history. He surpasses Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., who signed a contract worth $21.03 million per season last year.
The Lions now add Joseph to their list of extended former draft picks in recent years, alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, and Alim McNeill. Players such as Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch will be looking for their own extensions between now and the start of the 2026-27 season.
The Lions paid the most money for the best safety in the NFL
While some will undoubtedly write this off as an overpay, it isn't.
When you have the best player at a certain position in the NFL, especially at just 24 years old, you are going to have to pay top-of-the-line money to retain him.
When we looked at the possible Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph extensions early in draft week, Spotrac anticipated a $23.2 million annual price tag for the All-Pro safety. That was already a reasonable number, and seeing the number come down about $1.7 million made it even better.
Since 2022, Joseph has led the NFL in interceptions with 17, making him the best ballhawk in the entire league. Some may say interceptions are an overrated statistic, but taking the ball away from the opposing offense 17 times is something that can produce at least seven or eight additional wins for your team.
It wasn't just the interceptions, either. Joseph graded out as a phenomenal all-around player last season. PFF gave him an outstanding 91.0 overall grade — No. 1 out of the 171 qualified safeties in the NFL.
As for his specific grades? He excelled there, as well. He received a 91.9 pass-coverage grade (1st overall), an 83.2 run-defense grade (13th), and a 63.5 pass-rush grade (34th). Lions fans know how great Joseph is in pass coverage, but he is also so valuable in the run game.
Basically, this is a slam-dunk extension for Detroit.
When Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell took over in 2021, their plan was to draft players who fit their vision and then keep those players in Detroit long-term. So far, Sewell, St. Brown, McNeill, and Joseph have fit that mold, and the Lions would rather keep them home than sign a free agent for a little bit cheaper.
This Lions front office has been such a breath of fresh air over the past four years, and I can't wait to see their final plan of who to extend and who to let walk.