The Detroit Lions have locked in one of their most electrifying young defenders — and doing it smartly.
According to Spotrac, the contract extension details have emerged, and safety Kerby Joseph has agreed to a five-year, $88.6 million extension with the Lions, securing the ball-hawking defensive back through the 2029 season, with cap-friendly structuring that gives Detroit flexibility.
Let’s break it down.
Contract Highlights
Joseph’s deal includes:
- $24.3 million guaranteed at signing
- An additional $8.7 million coming next March
- Four void years to help spread out the cap hit
It’s a creative cap management move by general manager Brad Holmes, and it rewards one of the league’s best playmakers from 2024.
The Cap Numbers
Here’s how the contract breaks down year by year:
- 2025: $3.85M
- 2026: $5.8M
- 2027: $9.1M
- 2028: $13M
- 2029: $17.9M
- 2030: $39.1M (void year)
An All-Pro Year Worth Paying For
Joseph, a third-round pick out of Illinois in 2022, just finished a breakout campaign that demanded this kind of payday. He led the NFL in interceptions with nine and added 83 total tackles and 12 passes defensed.
His combined 21 plays on the ball (INTs + PDs) ranked second in the league, trailing only Texans corner Derek Stingley Jr. That kind of production doesn’t just earn headlines — it wins games. And now, it’s been rewarded.
The Bottom Line
This extension shows how much the Lions value Joseph — not just for his numbers, but for his swagger, leadership, and long-term potential. At just 24 years old, Detroit now has its centerfield general locked in through the heart of its competitive window.
