The Detroit Lions are kicking off their training camp with some serious headaches, officially placing three players on the Physically Unable to Perform, or PUP, list. Safety Kerby Joseph, safety Brian Branch, and tight end Tyler Conklin are all starting off on the sidelines, a tough pill to swallow right as things heat up.
Branch’s Season Already On Thin Ice
This news is a real gut punch, especially for Brian Branch. The dude tore his Achilles back in early December, and coach Dan Campbell is not sounding optimistic about seeing him on the field anytime soon. Campbell even said, “Uh, I don’t know. I mean, I guess there’s always a chance,” when asked about Branch’s return during training camp. Yeah, not exactly a ringing endorsement, right? Branch was always expected to hit the PUP list, and it’s looking like he’s gonna be there for a while. If he stays on it through training camp and roster cuts, he’s automatically benched for at least the first four games of the season. That’s a huge blow to the defense before they even strap on pads.
Joseph’s Tweet Didn’t Age Well
Now, Kerby Joseph’s situation is a whole other story, and honestly, it’s kinda wild. Just this weekend, the other starting safety was out there tweeting, ‘”How much yall wanna bet im not on there.”‘ You gotta love the confidence, but man, that tweet just came back to bite him. Joseph’s dealing with a knee injury that benched him for the last 11 games of last season. The specific condition is still a mystery, but what we do know is surgery isn’t an option. The Lions have been scrambling to manage it, and putting him on PUP to start camp is obviously part of that plan. Campbell previously said they’re “trying to be as smart as we can and not push this until we absolutely have to because once we’ve done that,” adding, “then we’ll know one way or another.” Sounds like they’re playing it super safe with his health, which is smart, but probably not what Joseph wanted after his little bet.
Conklin’s Mystery Injury Adds To The Pile
Rounding out the PUP trio is Tyler Conklin, who apparently picked up an unknown injury during spring practices. Talk about bad timing. We’re all gonna be waiting to hear more about his status, especially when coach Campbell is expected to chat with the media before the first training camp practice on Wednesday. It’s a rough start for Detroit with these three key guys sidelined. The clock is ticking for Branch, Joseph, and Conklin to get healthy, otherwise the Lions might be limping into the regular season already down some serious firepower.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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