Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph is steadily improving, but the team will know more about his availability as the week progresses, prior to their Week 14 contest against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday evening.
The former third-round pick posted a cryptic message on social media, raising some eyebrows.
Joseph shared, “I’m lost for words.”
Dan Campbell speaking to local reporters, had not seen the post, but shared injury updates on Joseph, Graham Glasgow and Brock Wright. The All-Pro safety has not played since Week 6.
“I don’t know about the tweet,” said Campbell. “I mean, he’ll be running around doing some individual stuff like that. You know, he’s doing a little bit more, but I don’t know anything about the tweet.”
Campbell added, “I mean, he’s closer than he was before. He’s close. We’ll know a lot more really tomorrow. Today we’ll walk through. Tomorrow, (we’ll) see where he’s at. But he is getting better, he gets better every week.”
Detroit’s talented defender is dealing with a certain level of “wear” and “pain.” Detroit has worked to improve Joseph’s knee strength and stability, but with the goal of managing his discomfort.
Joseph has been dealing with a knee injury dating back to training camp, then suffered a bone bruise in Week 4. Though he tried to play through the ailment, he was shut down after the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“A lot of it is just trying to get some stability, you know, in the leg and get some strength, get some stability, which in turn will help some of the pain,” said Campbell. “But, also some of the wear and tear, you know, as strong as you get it in there and stabilize, so it doesn’t wear out as fast or create that kind of pain with it. So, that’s really what a lot of it is right now.”
Campbell noted that the pain is not neccesarily going away, but Joseph is steadily working his way back to be able to play and contribute. As a result, the Pro Bowl safety could wind up dealing with knee pain in the future, even after he returns.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily going away, but I think you do the best you can to manage it,” Campbell siad. “Like a lot of these guys that have gotten some injuries here, can be cartilage or meniscus or anything like that. You do your best to manage it. They’ll always be a little wear and tear. It’s just, you know, how bad is it? But, I do know that the more you can strengthen and stabilize, that helps a ton. Helps with the swelling, helps with the pain. So, that’s where we’re at.”
Center Graham Glasgow is improving, but the prognosis for tight end Brock Wright is a little more up in the air.
The former undrafted free agent is having scans sent out for second-opinions due to an issue with his trachea.
“Graham’s doing better. There again, we walk through today. And then Brock, really nothing new. Nothing new from last week,” said Campbell. “We’re still sending out scans, and just seeing if there’s any other second opinions that would change the outlook for him playing.
“And right now there’s, there’s really nothing, right now, that would change that,” Campbell explained further. “I know that it’s frustrating because he wants to play. But, we’re just kind of in the holding pattern right now.”
