Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch is nearing a return to the practice field after missing the start of the 2026 season while recovering from a torn Achilles.
Head coach Dan Campbell said Friday that the fourth-year defensive back is ready to resume work.
“He’s close. Yep. He’s close. He’s ready to go. I’m tired of listening to him, alright? So, I mean that in a good way,” Campbell said.
“Love the kid — man, he’s put in a ton of work. And he looks really good. He’s close.”
Branch ruptured his Achilles on Dec. 4, 2025, against the Dallas Cowboys and has not played since. The Lions placed him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list before the regular season, which kept him out of the first four games under league rules.
A recent rule change allows players on that list to begin practicing after Week 2. The Lions have not yet opened Branch’s 21-day practice window, the formal step that starts the clock toward a possible activation.
Branch cannot play in Sunday night’s game at Carolina. He becomes eligible the following week, when Detroit visits Arizona on Oct. 11. The team has a bye in Week 6, which could give him additional time before a potential debut against Green Bay on Oct. 25.
The Lions enter the weekend at 2-1 after a 31-24 win over the New York Jets. Their defense has allowed 979 gross passing yards through three games and ranks near the bottom of the league in yards permitted per contest.
Branch recorded 75 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 12 games last season before the injury. He earned Pro Bowl recognition in 2024 after posting 16 passes defended and four interceptions.
The secondary has operated without both of its projected starters. Fellow safety Kerby Joseph remains on the reserve/PUP list with a knee injury that has sidelined him since October 2025. Campbell has indicated Branch is further along in his recovery than Joseph.
Additional absences have thinned the group. Thomas Harper is on injured reserve with an ankle injury and is expected to miss at least four weeks. Avonte Maddox underwent season-ending foot surgery after getting hurt in the Week 2 loss at Buffalo.
In their place, the Lions have used a rotation that includes Chuck Clark and Christian Izien at safety, with Roger McCreary seeing time in the slot. The unit recorded five sacks in the win over the Jets but has surrendered 31.7 points per game, last in the NFL.
Campbell offered no firm date for Branch’s first practice or his first game. He noted only that the player has looked strong in his rehabilitation work and has been a regular presence around the facility in recent weeks.
Once the 21-day window opens, the Lions can activate Branch to the 53-man roster at any point inside that period. If they do not, he would revert to the PUP list and miss the remainder of the season.
Branch, a second-round pick out of Alabama in 2023, is in the final year of his rookie contract. General manager Brad Holmes has said the team remains interested in keeping him beyond this season.
The Lions rank third in the NFL in points scored at 31.0 per game behind Jared Goff and a running game led by Jahmyr Gibbs. A healthier secondary would address the clearest weakness on a team that sits tied for second in the NFC North.
