Full Breakdown
Lions Start 2026 Training Camp with Three Key Players on PUP List
7/27/2026, 3:53:30 AM
Core Event: PUP List Designations Ahead of Camp
- On July 26, 2026, the Detroit Lions placed safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph and tight end Tyler Conklin on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list as training camp began.
Background & Context
- Brian Branch suffered a torn Achilles in December 2025, ending his 2025 season in Week 14.
- Kerby Joseph missed the final 11 games of the 2025 season because of a chronic knee injury; he recorded three interceptions and four passes defended in the six games he played.
- Tyler Conklin joined Detroit on a one-year, $1.3 million contract after a down 2025 season with the Los Angeles Chargers and has been dealing with an undisclosed injury since spring workouts.
Data & Statistics
- Brian Branch – 258 combined tackles, 38 passes defended, seven interceptions in his career; 2024 Pro Bowl with 109 tackles, 16 passes defended, four interceptions.
- Kerby Joseph – 20 career interceptions; led the league with nine picks in 2024 and earned first-team All-Pro honors; six games played in 2025 with three interceptions.
- Tyler Conklin – 127 NFL games, 69 starts; caught seven passes for 101 yards last season.
Official Statements & Responses
- “I guess there's always a chance. I'm going to just go ahead and widen the window so we don't have to talk about it anymore. Let's just go ahead and say December. Anything before that is a bonus,” — Dan Campbell, head coach
- Regarding Joseph’s knee, Campbell emphasized uncertainty: “*Really, I don't know. I honestly do not know*.”“Really, I don't know. I honestly do not know,” — Dan Campbell, head coach
- On the overall rehab approach, Campbell added: “*We're just slowly building, continuing the strength in there*.”“We're just slowly building, continuing the strength in there,” — Dan Campbell, head coach
Impact on the Lions' Defense
- The simultaneous loss of both starting safeties removes the NFL’s top-rated safety duo from practice, forcing the Lions to evaluate replacements such as Chuck Clark, Christian Izien, Avonte Maddox, Thomas Harper, Dan Jackson, and Loren Strickland.
- If the players remain on the PUP list through roster cutdowns, they will shift to the reserve/PUP list and miss at least the first four regular-season games, potentially weakening Detroit’s secondary early in the season.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- All sources agree on the PUP designations and injury histories; no contradictory figures were presented. However, the exact timeline for each player’s activation remains unspecified beyond the general ability to be moved off the list at any time during camp.
What’s Next
- The Lions’ preseason opener is slated for mid-August. Coach Campbell is expected to provide further updates on the health status of Branch, Joseph, and Conklin during the early weeks of camp.
