The Detroit Lions are extremely well prepared in case they have their worst nightmare with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph

If there’s one thing that Detroit Lions fans have talked about more than edge rushers this offseason, it is the status of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph and their injuries. Right now, we know nothing concrete about either one of them. The assumption is that Brnach is back midseason, but we don’t know that for […]

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Detroit Lions safety Thomas Harper warms up before the Dallas Cowboys game at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If there’s one thing that Detroit Lions fans have talked about more than edge rushers this offseason, it is the status of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph and their injuries.

Right now, we know nothing concrete about either one of them. The assumption is that Brnach is back midseason, but we don’t know that for sure. We know Joseph had a knee issue in 2025, but we also know that nobody can tell you what the actual injury is and that there is an extreme level of conspiracy theory and misinformation surrounding it.

What we can tell you is that the Lions have taken steps to get them ready for the possibility of having either one of them or neither of them to start the season, and they have done an exceptional job with that. Let’s talk about the group.

The Starters

Right off the bat, the Lions have Chuck Clark, who has been a starting safety in the NFL for seven of the last eight years. He’s been a really good run defender and a sure tackler. You might not get the ball hawk skills you get from Joseph, but Clark can play that Branch role well.

Then there’s Christian Izeien/Thomas Harper. Both are young safeties who have shown a ton of promise as starters. Izien can play either safety spot, and Harper can play a similar game to Joseph. These two together can share the Joseph role. This is a good starting group.

Strong Depth

Avonte Maddox can play anywhere in the secondary and can do it well. He started some games for the Lions in 2025 and helped out a lot. We’re going to get to see what Dan Jackson can add to the fold for the first time, and Loren Strickland has strong special teams ability. This is a strong group to lean on.

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