Will Branch be developed into safety in second year?
When the Lions drafted Brian Branch in the second round out of Alabama last season, they didn’t expect the defensive back to be a Week 1 starter. Of course, it didn’t take more than a handful of training camp practices for the team to shuffle the deck in its secondary, making the rookie the top nickel cornerback on the depth chart.
Branch was so good out the gate, the team pushed the boundaries of his capabilities, giving him extended time at safety, his listed position coming out of college. But it was quickly determined the added responsibilities put too much on the firstyear defender’s plate, causing his overall effectiveness to dwindle. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn recalibrated and locked Branch back into the slot corner role the remainder of the season, resulting in a strong finish more closely resembling the hot start.
Where Branch lines up in the future remains unclear.
At the bare minimum, the Lions know they have an outstanding nickel corner. That’s a valuable spot on the field, even if it’s not an every-down role. But there’s also still a sense, particularly with an added year of experience, Branch’s longterm outlook could lead him back to safety.
“Certainly Branch has got flexibility to be able to play the safety position, we believe, here in time,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said at this week’s league meetings. “We already feel very confident about the nickel. He’ll only get better and better. We do believe he’ll be able to get there; it’s how fast do you get him there. What you don’t want to do is, all right, man, he can play nickel and safety, but it takes away from his nickel play, how good he is as a nickel or how good he can become. It’s finding that fine balance between the two.
“We split his focus too soon (last season). He’ll get it. Let’s spoon-feed it instead of just trying to throw him out there. Let him continue to grow at the nickel position. He’ll be able to tell us where we can go with him.”
It wasn’t a new comparison, but Campbell highlighted how he experienced similar development with former Lions defender C.J. Gardner-Johnson as a young player in New Orleans. Despite having the skill set to play multiple spots in the secondary, it wasn’t until the Saints allowed him to focus on playing nickel that he started blossoming into the versatile defensive back he’s become.
Without committing to Branch playing, or even backing up, safety in 2024, it further highlights Detroit’s need to add depth at the position.
They currently have three true safeties on the roster in projected starters Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu, along with 2023 undrafted rookie Brandon Joseph, who spent most of his first season on the team’s practice squad.
The added concern is durability issues with both of the starters. Joseph missed time last year with a hip injury that required postseason surgery, while Melifonwu has a long history of injuries that have cost him significant playing time his first three seasons.
“We’re still going to look for safety help,” Campbell said. “That’s not over, either. We know we need some, there again, bring in some competition in that room. So our eyes are there.”