The Detroit Lions need all the help that they can get to fix their struggling defense. After allowing more yards and points than any other team in the NFL, the Lions must take a step forward in Week 5. Otherwise, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard will firmly be on the chopping block heading into the bye week.
Earlier in the week, Lions fans thought that they could get a major reinforcement to give them a boost on the defensive side of the ball. Brian Branch returned to practice and said that he was ready to go. Then, Sheppard said that Branch could realistically play this week after looking like the same player he was before the injury.
After further thought, however, cool heads seemingly prevailed. On Friday, head coach Dan Campbell spoke to the media and said it would be a "tall order" for Branch to play against the Cardinals on Sunday, per Lions insider Nolan Bianchi. He said that they love where Branch is at in his return, but they want to be smart about when to have him back on the field.
Brian Branch may have to wait until Week 7 for his return
Regardless of how desperate the Lions are to get their star safety out there, this is the right decision. As good as Branch may have looked in practice this week, he hasn't played football in ten months. Especially considering that the Lions are entering the bye week, there is very little reason to rush him. Give him two more weeks to ramp up, and he could be more ready to make an impact against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7.
This is understandably a difficult decision. Detroit's defensive backfield has been a disaster. They arguably have the worst cornerback and safety combinations in the entire league. Even a rusty Brian Branch would make a big difference.
However, Lions fans will have to wait a little longer to see their defensive leader back in action. Now, they must hope that the Lions can afford another defeat and fall to 2-3. It's of utmost importance for the Lions to get back on track with a win and head to the bye week with some momentum.
Without Branch, the Lions will continue to rely on Chuck Clark and Christian Izien at safety. Campbell hinted earlier in the week that Jalen Mills and Keith Abney could get some snaps at safety as well, but how the playing time is distributed among the defensive backs remains to be seen.
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