Kerby Joseph's injured knee isn't healing as quickly as the Lions expected.
"The irritation is not going away as fast as we had hoped," Dan Campbell said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "There is improvement, but it’s not just quite there yet, and we’re not going to force this thing until we get it as calmed down as we possibly can."
It's been a trying season for Detroit's star safety. Joseph has been hampered by two separate knee injuries, the first suffered in training camp, the second in the Lions' Week 4 win over the Browns when he slammed his knee into the Ford Field turf. He re-aggravated the injury in the Lions' Week 6 loss to the Chiefs and has missed their last two games. He's practiced just once, in limited fashion, since the second injury.
The Lions will continue to be patient with Joseph's recovery "because if we can keep from it, we don’t want to have to revisit this every week once he comes back," Campbell said.
"Now, maybe that happens anyway, whenever he comes back. But we were hoping it would resolve itself a little bit quicker, cleaner," said Campbell. "It’s just not there yet."
Asked last week how the knee has limited him physically this year, Joseph said, "I mean, yeah, it’s physical, but it’s more mental for me. Obviously, if I’m out there, I’m going 100 percent, so I’m not gonna use my knee as an excuse, personally."
The advanced stats, and the eye test, indicate the injury has taken its toll. After ranking as the top safety in the NFL last season, per PFF, Joseph ranks No. 46 this season. His tackling grade has fallen from fifth among safeties to second to last.
The Lions play the Commanders on Sunday. Joseph's status is in doubt.