Kerby Joseph Is Back at Practice. That's the Good News.

The Lions started the practice clock on Kerby Joseph on Wednesday, returning the All-Pro safety to the field for the first time since his injury sidelined him. Detroit has 21 days to activate him or he goes back on injured reserve, so the clock is running — but his presence at practice is the first concrete sign the secondary depth crisis that has defined this season might have a floor.

The timing is awkward, though. Minnesota arrives at Ford Field on Sunday, and Rakestraw remains questionable with that ankle. Brian Branch is active and has been practicing, which helps. But the Lions are heading into a divisional game with their cornerback room still unsettled and Joseph not yet available to play.

The broader picture hasn't changed much from what I wrote Tuesday: Detroit is a 4-2 team that can outscore its defensive limitations when healthy, but the margin for error in the secondary is essentially zero. Joseph back on the practice field is a step. Whether he's on the field Sunday — and whether Rakestraw holds up — is the actual question for the next six days.