Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch had a terrific rookie season, but the franchise has even bigger ambitions for the 22-year-old defense going ahead.
Many have wondered if the fact that the Lions have not gone out and signed a safety in free agency was a sign that they were preparing to play Branch—who was almost exclusively a nickel cornerback last season—at safety more going forward. While coach Dan Campbell said they are still looking for additional safety help, he more-or-less admitted that was the track Branch is on.
“Branch has got flexibility to be able to play the safety position, we believe, here in time,” Campbell said. “And we already feel very confident about the nickel. He’ll only get better and better. It’s really, we do believe he’ll be able to get there, it’s how fast do you get him there.”
Last year, Branch changed their entire plans in the secondary with how well he was playing in training camp. C.J. Gardner-Johnson entered camp as the starting nickel, with Kerby Joseph and Tracy Walker heading up the safety spots. But Branch was so dominant at nickel with the second-team defense that he forced Gardner-Johnson back to safety and Walker to the bench.
The Lions can’t help but see the similarities between Branch and Gardner-Johnson. It’s clear they want Branch on a similar career arc, where he can be the versatile piece that Gardner-Johnson has been since entering the league first as a nickel corner.
“Ducey was the same way when we got him in New Orleans,” Campbell said. “It was, ‘Man, is he a safety (or) nickel?’ When we just let him play nickel, he just really exploded. Now you see, here he is later in his career and he can really do both. He really grew in both areas. It’s just a matter of how fast he can get there.”
The Lions won’t rush the process. They are thrilled with what Branch is doing at nickel right now, and they don’t want to mess with it. Last year, they tried to share some of his time in practice at safety, but scaled back when it proved to be a little too much for a rookie who was still learning the system. Beyond that, it’s not entirely clear if Detroit has a capable backup nickel who could take over if/when he drops back to safety
That being said, Campbell plainly believes Branch is capable of playing safety, and with a full summer to learn the position, now may be the time to begin adding to the rookie defensive back’s workload.
“Now he’s been in the system for a year. “He understands,” Campbell explained. “He has a completely new knowledge of the nickel position, which helps. “Now he can really dive into the safety position.”
It’s unclear what this means for Detroit’s current starting safety, Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu. Will one be forced off the field in specific subpackages? Will the Lions bring back more three-safety formations? That is everything to be determined. But, for now, the Lions are enthused about the possibility of having another flexible piece in their secondary.
