The Detroit Lions have an interesting situation unfolding with first-team All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph. He burst onto the scene in 2024 following a couple of solid campaigns, quickly establishing himself as one of the NFL’s most productive defensive backs worthy of keeping around long-term.
Despite his reputation as a dirty player, there’s no denying Joseph’s excellence. Finishing sixth in the NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year race at just 24 years old is nothing to scoff at, particularly considering the position he plays, so it’s likely that Joseph will be a priority for general manager Brad Holmes moving forward.
Unfortunately, one recent signing in the safety market may complicate potential extension talks. The Houston Texans gave Jalen Pitre a three-year, $39 million deal, and he’s nowhere near as proven as the Lions’ star. Joseph still has a year left on his deal, though it’s not too soon to start thinking about what a theoretical contract could look like with market value rising across the league.
Kerby Joseph is undeservedly the most disrespected player in the entire NFL. pic.twitter.com/ddnTbJF9Dj
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) March 21, 2025
Predicting Kerby Joseph Contract Extension With Lions
Joseph will justifiably expect to be paid at the top of the market. The longer the Lions wait to get a contract work out, the more expensive he could potentially be. At this stage, he has just one excellent season under his belt, ranking a remarkable first out of 171 qualified safeties at Pro Football Focus.
Antoine Winfield Jr. is currently the league’s highest-paid safety with an annual salary of over $21 million. Joseph can realistically ask for that kind of contract, though if Detroit asks quickly then the front office can make the argument that his lack of established success should bring that value down.
He’d have to play ball, though something in the neighborhood of a three-year, $58 million deal with a player option after two years could make sense. That’d still pay Joseph near the top of the market and give him the opportunity to opt-out for a larger contract after his age-26 season should he maintain this level of play.
For the Lions, it’d give them the chance to get ahead of rising salaries and lock down a marquee defender who should remain a cornerstone for years to come. Perhaps Joseph wants to wait and prove he deserves to be the highest-paid safety, though hopefully, the player option would give him that security. As a third-round pick, Joseph hasn’t seen this kind of money, meaning it could work.
Either way, it’s obvious that the Lions need to get a deal done sooner than later.