Lions' Secondary in Flux: Kerby Joseph's Injury Leaves Defense Shorthanded for Week 5 🚨
The Detroit Lions already lost one starting member of the secondary in Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns, and now could be at risk of missing a third for their upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Safety Kerby Joseph missed practice on Thursday, the second straight day that the starting safety was not able to practice. Joseph has been dealing with an injured knee and could be at risk of missing this week’s game, forcing the Lions to rely on their secondary depth.
Lions Could Turn to Veteran Backup
As John Maakaron of SI.com noted, Joseph has been dealing with an injured knee since training camp and the issue has flared up this week. If Joseph is not able to play this week, the Lions have a veteran backup ready to fill in.
“Avonte Maddox is a veteran the team has grown comfortable relying upon,” Maakaron wrote. “He filled in when Joseph missed action in Week 4. His versatility has given the coaching staff added comfort, should the team need to call upon him again this week.”
The safety group has been one of the biggest strengths of Detroit’s defense, with Joseph and fellow safety Brian Branch widely considered the best duo in the NFL. Before the season, SI.com’s Christian Booher noted the Lions have plenty of versatility with the pair.
The Lions have the league’s best safety duo in Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Joseph was an All-Pro selection last season after leading the league in interceptions, while Branch had another strong year showcasing his elite versatility,” Booher wrote.
Booher added that their ability to move around the secondary allows the Lions to take an aggressive approach against opposing offenses.
With the skill sets of both players, the Lions have plenty of options when it comes to alignment in the secondary,” Booher wrote. “Joseph has grown immensely as a tackler and can play in the box for a spell, and Branch has shown that he can play both in the box as well as the deep part of the field.”
Lions Dealing With More Injuries
While the Lions have not yet indicated whether Joseph could miss this week’s game, the team already ruled out one cornerback and could lose another. The team placed starter D.J. Reed on injured reserve this week with a hamstring injury, with the expectation that he will be able to return later this year.
Reed said he was initially worried that the injury was much more serious.
“I thought I tore it off the bone,” Reed told the Detroit Free Press. “I thought it was a wrap. But that’s not the case, thank God.”
Cornerback Terrion Arnold was also hurt in last week’s win over the Cleveland Browns, but he has been able to return to practice and has a chance of playing against the Bengals. The Lions did bring in some reinforcements, signing safety Loren Strickland and linebacker Ty Summers from the practice squad. The Lions also signed cornerbacks Tre Flowers and Nick Whiteside to the practice squad.
Jake Moody’s Future in San Francisco Looks Secure Despite Preseason Struggles
The San Francisco 49ers front office has confirmed its plan with Jake Moody for the upcoming season.
This decision could determine the outcome of multiple key games this season.
Based on Lynch's comments, Moody's future in SF looks secure
49ers general manager John Lynch said Jake Moody's preseason performances were enough to secure his spot as the team's kicker.
The third-rounder competed with Greg Joseph for the starting job but impressed Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan enough to retain the role.
"Well, I think I think it was an excellent competition between him and [K Greg] Joseph," Lynch told the media after announcing their 53-man roster. "I think Kyle spoke to, we didn't want that competition to end, but anyone who says it wasn't a competition, I don't really agree. I think the coaches, the special teams coaches, are always charting everything. So, you see what you see in front of everyone and then they're doing things to the side. Jake had a really good preseason.
"I found it interesting after having a hell of a game in Las Vegas that a lot of people still have questions. I guess that when you had a season like he did last year, those things are going to be there until you kind of put that away. We've got a lot of belief in him and understand that last year was rough, but that happens in guys' careers.
"Our confidence and belief in him is what we see out here. I will say everything's earned in this League and everyone's got to go prove it each and every game, each and every year. So, Jake understands that."
What does the front office see that we don't?
Even after Moody nailed a 59-yard field goal to win the 49ers’ second preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he still showed moments of unpredictability when called upon.
By clearly committing to Moody for the upcoming season, the 49ers may have made a decision that could come back to haunt them.
A 70.6% completion rate in 2024 cannot be replicated. This statistic in itself is a worrying sign.
It's even worth mentioning that over the nine days of training camp practices before they released Joseph, he had converted more field goals.
Joseph successfully hit 22 of 24 field goal attempts, while Moody made 21 of 24.
Although this took place on a football training field with no pressure, Moody lost the competition yet was still chosen.
Moody undoubtedly has additional time this season to shift public perception, and one can only hope he capitalizes on it
