Despite their respective injuries, the Detroit Lions’ safeties duo of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph each cracked the top 10 player rankings at their position.
Branch is currently recovering from an Achilles tear that he suffered in Detroit’s Dec. 4 win over the Dallas Cowboys last season. Meanwhile, Joseph was limited to just six games in 2025 as a cartilage issue in his left knee made it too painful to play. Joseph would eventually be placed on season-ending IR in late December.
When healthy, the pair are among the NFL’s elite, though. In ESPN’s survey of NFL executives, coaches and scouts, Branch ranked as the No. 4 safety in the league, while Joseph was ranked No. 9.
Here’s what ESPN wrote of Branch:
A torn Achilles cost Branch five games in 2025. That played a role in his two-spot slide in the rankings. But Branch was plenty productive while he played, posting a 1.9% pass breakup percentage, which ranked third among safeties. He played snaps in the slot but mostly at safety, and he added 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hits. He was one of two defensive backs with at least five passes defended, five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
“Versatility, toughness, smarts — he’s a complete player,” an NFL passing game coordinator said. “He’s a baller when healthy. He’s got elite instincts.”
Added an NFL personnel evaluator: “He can play forward or backward at a high level. Not many can.”
Branch has not experienced any setback in his injury recovery, but the Lions will be conservative with his timeline to return, putting his Week 1 status in question. – Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
And on Joseph:
It’s hard to knock Joseph’s impact when healthy. The production on a per-game basis is impressive. He has 20 interceptions and 35 pass deflections in 52 career games. In 2025, he defended four of the eight targets in his area, qualifying for a 50.0% ball hawk rate, tops among safeties (NFL Next Gen Stats).
“He finds the ball,” an NFL personnel evaluator said. “It’s hard to find guys with post range like him who can play over the top.”
Over the past two seasons, the Lions had a defensive EPA of plus-28 when Joseph was the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s the highest in the NFL. His availability is an issue that affected his standing in the top 10, though. Joseph missed 11 games last season with a knee injury. – Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
Branch totaled 109 tackles and four picks in 2024, while Jospeh led the league in interceptions that season with nine.
The Lions’ defense desperately needs this duo healthy and roaming around its defensive backfield, but the extent to which either sees the field in 2026 is in question.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ESPN survey says Detroit Lions duo inside league’s top 10 safeties
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Josh Helmer, Lions Wire | USA TODAY Network
