The Detroit Lions are kicking off the season with some serious challenges to their secondary, announcing two key safeties, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, will start the year on the physically unable to perform, or PUP, list. This is a massive hit right out of the gate, forcing the team to navigate some significant hurdles from day one.
Early Season Injury Woes Hit the Secondary Hard
You never want to see crucial players sidelined, especially before the first game even kicks off, but that’s exactly where the Lions find themselves. Kerby Joseph, dealing with a knee issue, is officially out for at least the first four games. That’s a big chunk of the early schedule without a veteran presence back there to shore things up. And it gets worse: Brian Branch is also staying on the PUP list as he works his way back from a torn Achilles. Talk about a tough break for their defensive backfield! Having two starting-caliber safeties sidelined like that means the Lions’ depth is going to be tested immediately. On top of that, offensive lineman Giovanni Manu will also miss at least four games, hitting the non-football injury list, and center Cade Mays is already on the injured reserve list. You never want to see so many important pieces on the sidelines before the real action even starts, especially when you’re looking to start strong.
Roster Trim Down Shows Tough Choices
As part of setting their initial 53-man roster, the Lions also went through the tough process of waiving or releasing a huge number of players. It’s always a brutal day in the league, but they had to make some hard calls to get down to the official squad. Guys like DL Myles Adams, LB Joe Bachie, TE Tyler Conklin, WR Greg Dortch, WR Tom Kennedy, LB Amen Ogbongbemiga, LB Troy Reeder, DL Ben Stille, and RB Trayveon Williams were all let go. They also moved on from QB Luke Altmyer, WR Tarik Black, CB Ekow Boye-Doe, DB Aamaris Brown, OL Devin Cochran, CB Bump Cooper Jr., WR Malik Cunningham, TE Thomas Gordon, OL Gus Hartwig, TE Zach Horton, LB Erick Hunter, S Dan Jackson, WR Lucky Jackson, WR Dominic Lovett, DE Anthony Lucas, G Mason Miller, G Melvin Priestly, CB Eric Scott Jr., DL Chris Smith, OL Colby Sorsdal, S Jason Taylor II, DL Tyre West, CB Nick Whiteside, RB Roydell Williams, and OL Michael Niese. That’s a huge list of names, signaling the team is really trying to fine-tune things, but it also means a lot of competition and a lot of dreams dashed for many. It truly shows just how razor-thin the margins are in the NFL, and how quickly rosters can change overnight.
With the season opener looming, these roster moves and, more importantly, these key injuries, set a challenging tone for the Lions. They’ll need their remaining guys to step up big time in that secondary to keep things locked down. It’s going to be a true test of their depth and coaching early on. Let’s see how they rally and what they bring to the field for their first game without these crucial players. It’s go-time, and they’ve definitely got some hurdles to clear from day one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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