The Detroit Lions still have to get through Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.
After that, attention could quickly turn toward two of the most important players missing from Detroitโs defense.
Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are currently on Reserve/PUP, which requires them to miss the first four games of the season. Under the NFLโs updated rules, however, players on Reserve/PUP can begin a 21-day practice window after their teamโs second game, meaning Detroit becomes eligible to start that process once Thursday night is complete.
Dr. Jimmy Liao, who tracks Lions injuries extensively, noted Thursday morning that Branch has a decent chance of having his practice window opened, while Josephโs timeline remains much less certain. His 2026 Lions injury tracker currently projects Branchโs return in the October-November range and lists Josephโs return timetable as uncertain.
There is one important catch.
Neither can play yet.
Opening the Window Does Not Mean Branch Can Play
Detroit placed both starting safeties on Reserve/PUP when it established its initial roster, officially guaranteeing that Branch and Joseph would miss at least the first four regular-season games. The Lions announced both moves on Aug. 30.
So even if Branch returns to the practice field next week, he cannot appear in a game until Week 5 at the earliest.
That distinction matters.
Opening the practice window is not the same as activating a player. It simply allows Detroit to begin integrating that player into practice while evaluating whether he is physically ready for game action.
Branch has been recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered last December. Campbell said during training camp that Branchโs rehabilitation remained on schedule, and Detroit hoped he could return to practice sometime around the beginning of the regular season.
That makes the possibility of a practice return after Week 2 noteworthy.
It would be the clearest sign yet that Branch is approaching the final stage of his recovery.
Kerby Joseph Remains the Bigger Unknown
Josephโs situation has always carried more uncertainty.
The All-Pro safety has dealt with a lingering knee problem dating back to last season, one that eventually forced him to miss the final 11 games of 2025.
Campbell acknowledged throughout the offseason that Detroit simply would not know how Josephโs knee responded until the rehabilitation process advanced.
When camp opened, Campbell said Joseph was running and beginning change-of-direction work but cautioned that the Lions still had โa long way to go.โ The team ultimately decided to put him on Reserve/PUP alongside Branch.
We previously detailed the uncertainty surrounding Josephโs knee and his return timeline.
The more recent update has not dramatically changed that picture.
Detroitโs own Tim Twentyman wrote last week that Joseph was back in the building and ramping up his rehab but that there was still no clear answer regarding when his knee would be ready for football.
Branch appears closer.
Joseph remains wait-and-see.
Detroit Has Been Surviving Without Its Star Safety Duo
The Lions knew this problem was coming.
They entered the season with veteran Chuck Clark and Avonte Maddox handling the starting safety roles while Branch and Joseph remained unavailable.
Detroit specifically added experienced depth because of those injuries. Clark entered Week 1 with 80 career starts, while Maddox has extensive experience throughout the secondary. The Lions highlighted that experience before the opener.
That planning has helped.
It has not made Branch and Joseph replaceable.
Branch has become one of the NFLโs most versatile defensive backs, capable of playing safety, nickel, near the line of scrimmage and as a pressure player. Joseph has developed into one of footballโs premier ball-hawking safeties, recording 20 interceptions since entering the league in 2022.
We broke down Detroitโs decision to place both players on PUP when Campbell provided his late-August update on Branch and Joseph.
Their return would change the ceiling of this defense.
Branch Practicing Would Be a Significant First Step
Nothing is guaranteed yet.
Detroit has not officially announced that either practice window will open, and even if Branch is cleared to practice, there will still be a process before he is ready for live game action.
But after months of rehabilitation, the calendar is finally reaching the point where something tangible can happen.
The Lions have spent the first month of the season knowing Branch and Joseph cannot help them on Sundays.
After Thursday night, that changes slightly.
Branch may soon be able to practice.
Joseph could eventually follow.
Neither can play before Week 5, but simply getting Branch back onto the field at Allen Park would represent meaningful progress for a Detroit defense waiting to get two of its best players back.
For the first time this season, the countdown could be moving from months to weeks.
