Lions sign Kerby Joseph to record-setting extension

Just before last year’s draft, the Lions secured their future by signing both offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to long-term extensions. This year, they’ve decided to do the same, rewarding a first-team All-Pro season by making Kerby Joseph the highest-paid safety in the NFL. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Joseph and Detroit have agreed to a four-year, $86M extension.

We don’t have any guaranteed numbers on the deal yet to stack against the current top deals in the league, but Joseph’s $86M in total value is more than Antoine Winfield Jr.’s $84.1M. Winfield also held the highest average annual value at $21.03M per year, which will be eclipsed by Joseph’s $21.5M per annum.

We knew all the way back when the Lions got eliminated from the playoffs that they would be exploring an extension for their All-Pro safety this offseason. They reiterated those intentions earlier this month, as well, adding that star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson‘s expected extension was also on the docket.

The reason Joseph’s extension likely took priority over Hutchinson’s is that, unlike Hutchinson, Joseph was not a first-round pick. As a first-round selection, Hutchinson’s rookie contract includes a fifth-year option that the team can exercise to extend his obligations to the team for a year longer than the standard four-year rookie deal. Because of this, Hutchinson and Lions will likely have plenty more time to work out an extension. Joseph, on the other hand, was headed into the final year of his rookie contract.

In just three years of play, Joseph has already established himself as one of the league’s best at the position. Not only did he lead the NFL with nine interceptions in 2024, but he also led the league in interceptions since he entered the league in 2022 with 17. Add in 31 passes defensed and 247 tackles and Joseph has proven that he deserves to be awarded with an All-Pro selection this year.

The Lions will hope that securing Joseph will give them the league’s top defensive backfield duo in the NFL for years to come. Today’s extension ensures that Joseph will return alongside Brian Branch next year. Branch, a Pro Bowler last year with seven interceptions and 29 passes defensed in his first two seasons, was drafted in the second round a year after Joseph. Both safeties were ranked as top-five safeties per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), with Joseph notching the position’s highest overall and coverage grade and Branch notching the position's best run defense grade. Branch will likely be a target for extension himself in the next offseason.

For now, though, the Lions will rejoice in their securing of Joseph and elimination of safety as a position of need in the draft. It was never considered a position that needed improvement, but with Joseph on a long-term deal, there’s no danger of needing to draft a safety to eventually take over for a free agent departure.