Kerby Joseph is clearly showing he received Dan Campbell's preseason message

Now into his third season, Kerby Joseph is something of an elder statesman in the Detroit Lions' secondary. As he blends his skillset with a role as a veteran leader, head coach Dan Campell laid out some expectations for Joseph when asked during the preseason.

"I think consistency. Consistency...going from year to year three, Campbell said,...."Every year, he’s grown a little bit, and I think, this year, it’s ‘Alright, man. It’s time to become a staple in this defense and become a very consistent player every week."

Joseph had played all but three defensive snaps for the Lions through two games. He has 10 total tackles and one pass breakup, with a big end zone interception of Matthew Stafford in Week 1. For the first time in his career, he has had back-to-back games with overall Pro Football Focus grades of 70-plus (72.1 in Week 1, 73.9 in Week 2).

Kerby Joseph is answering Dan Campbell's call for consistency

This past week, via Richard Silva of the Detroit News, Campbell talked about Joseph's growth.

"I really felt like he even grew a lot in training camp," Campbell said. "There were some things that we talked about with him. … Just, man, let it come to you. Just play within the system, understand where your eyes need to be and the plays will come. He’s playing much more disciplined to it, and I just feel like he’s seeing the field really well right now. I feel like he’s doing his responsibility. He’s not going rogue on us, and he’s making a lot of plays. He’s got a lot of production."

The data points vary based on the source, as usual, but there's no denying how well Joseph has played so far this season.

According to PFF, Joseph has allowed one catch for four yards on four targets in his coverage through two games. Per Pro Football Reference, which has him being targeted five times and allowing two catches for 18 yards through two games, he has allowed a 10.8 passer rating when targeted.

Joseph is balancing his playmaking instincts (four interceptions in each of his first two seasons) with being a steady, consistent player within Aaron Glenn's defense. Campbell publicly asked for just that back in August, and along with whatever has been said behind the scenes it's clear the message was received.