Lions safety Kerby Joseph out until camp after surgery for lingering injury

Kerby Joseph has shown himself to be quite a draft find for the Detroit Lions. Since being taken in the third round of the 2022 draft, he has started 32 games with a total of eight interceptions and 19 pass breakups.

Joseph was a key part of the Lions' uniform reveal on Thursday night, donning the black alternate jersey. But he told reporters at Ford Field, via the Detroit News, that he had surgery this offseason to fix a lingering hip issue.

"I ain’t going to come back till training camp," Joseph said. "Y’all just bear with me, but I’ll be back."

Joseph suffered a hip injury in Week 2 last season against the Seattle Seahawks. He missed the next two games, then played after being listed as questionable for Week 5. He was never on the injury report again over the rest of the season, and he downplayed the impact of the injury on his performance.

"If I'm out there, I'm going 100%. [There isn't a] hindrance. I'm gonna give it all I got every time," Joseph said.

Joseph ended up with the exact same number of total tackles (82) and interceptions (four) as his rookie season. His Pro Football Focus grades show an overall drop-off compared to his rookie season though.

Kerby Joseph injury further exposes Lions lack of depth at safety

While Joseph should be good to go for the start of training camp, the news he will be out until then again shines light on the Lions' lack of depth at safety. Joseph, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Brandon Joseph, who spent last season on the practice squad, are the only safeties on the roster (with a nod to slot corner Brian Branch possibly seeing some time at safety next season). Head coach Dan Campbell has suggested they are in the market to draft a safety.

Shy of drafting a rookie, the Lions may be a little more in the market for a veteran safety then they were before.