Lions expect Kerby Joseph to play in 2026, Brian Branch nears return: Can Detroit defense turn a corner?

The Detroit Lions own the worst defense in the NFL, but help is on the way. They could soon have both starting safeties in the lineup for the first time this season, as Brian Branch is set to make his 2026 debut in Week 7 and Kerby Joseph is on track to play at some point this year.

Branch tore his Achilles last December and opened the year on injured reserve, but the Lions opened his practice window on Oct. 7, and coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that he expects the former Pro Bowler to be activated ahead of Sunday's divisional showdown against the Green Bay Packers. Campbell noted, however, that Branch could be on a snap count in order to ease his way back into action.

The return of one half of the safety tandem shifted the attention to the other. Joseph is on the PUP list with an inoperable, chronic knee issue which dates back to last year's training camp, and he has not played since October 2025. But Campbell said he expects Joseph to suit up this season.

"He's doing well," Campbell said. "I'll leave it at that. He really is. He's doing a good job. I'm not gonna give you a timetable, but I've been pleased with where he's at. He's in a good headspace right now, which is great, because that's hard. You're coming off this, you're wanting to go, and you're working at it, and at some point it's time for football. We all know that and recognize it, but we'll take it one day at a time."

The last time Branch and Joseph spent a full healthy season together as the leaders of the Detroit secondary, the team enjoyed its best defensive campaign in a decade. The Lions fielded the seventh-ranked scoring defense in 2024, which helped them win a franchise-record 15 games and reach the divisional round of the playoffs.

Joseph is a former first-team All-Pro who led the NFL in interceptions in 2024. Whether he will ever return to that level largely depends on his ability to stay on the field with the long-term knee problem, but if he is even partially as productive upon his return, he and Branch could again form one of the league's most proficient safety duos. For a Detroit team that has been ravaged in the defensive backfield over the last year, their reemergence could be a difference-maker.

Lions could turn a corner with Branch, Joseph in lineup

The discrepancy between Detroit's top-flight offensive output and woeful defense is a perennial issue, but it reached a new level in 2026 with the safeties on the sidelines. The loss of cornerback Terrion Arnold hurt immensely, too, with his untimely arrest and release from the roster this past offseason limiting the Lions' ability to backfill the position. This team is the worst in the NFL at preventing opponents from moving the ball and ranks 30th in scoring, which entirely neutralizes the unstoppable attack of Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta on the other side of the ball.

Lions offense-defense comparison

While Detroit should be expected to buy aggressively at the trade deadline, it might not have to address the safety position. If the in-house options are back at full strength for the stretch run, the front office can focus primarily on investing in the cornerback group. Upgrades over the current starters at both safety spots, plus one of the corner positions, ought to deliver at least modest improvement in pass defense, if not a dramatic turnaround.

Following their 3-2 start, the Lions stand in sole possession of last place in the highly competitive NFC North, half a game back from the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, who are tied for second behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. The division is well within reach, but not if the Lions cannot defend the pass. Last week's win over the Arizona Cardinals was the first time they won a game by more than one possession.