Three Lions Hit the PUP List as Training Camp Opens
Training camp starts Wednesday in Allen Park, and three players will not be on the field with the rest of the team. The Detroit Lions placed Brian Branch, Tyler Conklin, and Kerby Joseph on the physically unable to perform list. Branch was expected. Conklin is a question mark. Joseph is the surprise that has people talking.
Before you spiral into full panic mode, take a breath. The PUP list is not a death sentence. It is not a season-ending injury report. It is a procedural move that teams use for all kinds of reasons at the start of camp. Sometimes a guy is working back from an injury and needs a few more days. Sometimes the team wants to ease him in slowly. And yes, sometimes a player winds up on PUP because he did not pass the conditioning test when camp opened.
The key thing to remember here is that players on the active PUP list can come off it whenever they are healthy and cleared by the team. We have seen plenty of guys start camp on PUP and be back on the field a few days later. Right now there are nearly 50 players across the league on this list. So let’s all calm down before we start writing eulogies.
Brian Branch Was Always Going to Be Here
Branch landing on the PUP list makes perfect sense. He is working back from an Achilles tendon injury, and nobody expected him to be ready for the start of camp. The real question is when he comes back. Will it be midway through camp? Before the regular season? Sometime in September? That is still unclear.
Dan Campbell will address the media Wednesday, and Branch’s timeline should be one of the first things discussed. Until then, this is exactly what we expected to see.
Tyler Conklin Is the Mystery
Conklin is the least defined situation of the three. We do not know what the injury is or how long he has been dealing with it. More information should come Wednesday when Campbell speaks to reporters. For now, all we know is that the tight end will not be practicing with the rest of the team at the start of camp.
Kerby Joseph Is the One That Hurts
Here is the thing. Last week Joseph posted on X that he would not be on the PUP list. His exact words: “I bet you I won’t be on that list.” And here he is, on that list.
I get it. Fans are going to see Joseph’s name and start to panic. But the PUP list does not mean he is done for the season. It does not even mean he will miss all of training camp. A player can come off the PUP list at any time. They could come off Thursday if the team clears them.
What this likely means is that the Lions do not feel Joseph can pass the conditioning test just yet. He has been at the facility, but he did not participate in OTAs or minicamp. It could simply be that Detroit does not want to push him into full training camp work right away. That is a reasonable approach even if it is not the one Joseph wanted or expected.
Wednesday Will Bring Answers
The first day of training camp will bring clarity. Campbell will be asked about all three players, and he should provide some insight into where each guy stands in his recovery process. The PUP list is a procedural move, not a diagnosis. These players can return to practice the moment the team feels comfortable putting them through the conditioning test.
Until then, this is what we have. Three names on a list that has people worried but probably should not. We will know more Wednesday.
Is this a real concern or just the annual PUP list freakout? Drop your take below.
