{"id":250383,"date":"2025-10-17T15:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T19:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=250383"},"modified":"2025-10-17T15:00:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T19:00:07","slug":"detroit-lions-moving-forward-after-branch-suspension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/10\/17\/detroit-lions-moving-forward-after-branch-suspension\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Lions Moving Forward After Branch Suspension"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the NFL\u2019s upholding of Brian Branch’s<\/a> one-game suspension, the Detroit Lions are focused on covering his absence and preparing for Monday night\u2019s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Detroit Lions Moving Forward After Branch Suspension<\/b><\/h2>\n

Regardless of JuJu Smith-Schuster\u2019s provocative blindside hit, Branch knows his conduct was inappropriate and unprofessional. It was an emotional outburst and a dumb mistake on the part of the talented young athlete. While the lack of penalties assessed on the Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> is one of the league\u2019s worst-kept secrets, Branch nonetheless wound up hurting the team with his suspension. His absence from the lineup comes at a time when the Lions need him most.<\/p>\n

Even before \u201cthe slap seen round the NFL,\u201d the team had a lot riding on the Tampa Bay game. Last year, the Bucs were one of only two teams to defeat the Lions during the regular season. Despite a 13-6 Lions lead at halftime, Tampa Bay went on to win the game by a score of 20-16<\/a>. Now, with the Bucs\u2019 5-1 record leading the NFC, and Baker Mayfield<\/a> topping the list of MVP candidates, Detroit has plenty of work to do.<\/p>\n

Discussing the challenge the Buccaneers present, Dan Campbell<\/a> admitted, “So, we\u2019ve got our hands full – quarterback\u2019s playing really good football right now. Got a lot of respect for him, the way he plays the game. They\u2019ll grind it out, but they\u2019ve got an explosive element on their offense – they\u2019ve got guys they can throw to here, they can run the ball, good offensive line, defense. You\u2019ve got to be ready for it all.”<\/p>\n

Losing one of Detroit\u2019s elite defenders before such a critical game doesn\u2019t help. However, as Campbell points out, \u201cThere again, my job is to move forward, here. I know this, we don\u2019t have him. We don\u2019t have him\u2026. I mean, we\u2019ll figure it out. Shepp (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard)<\/a> will have a good plan, and we\u2019ll talk about what we need to do. And we\u2019ll have a plan ready, and we\u2019ll be ready to play Tampa Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Covering A Depleted Lions Secondary\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Last year\u2019s injury-riddled season provided the gold standard blueprint for overcoming player injuries. Exactly one year ago, after Aidan Hutchinson<\/a> was injured in Week 6, fans were panicking and predicting a season-ending collapse. But the Lions rebounded with a huge 47-9 victory in Dallas.<\/a><\/p>\n

As injuries continued to decimate the team, Brad Holmes poached NFL practice squads, hired free agents off the street, and negotiated the trade for Za\u2019Darius Smith<\/a>. Through it all, the Lions coaching staff stitched together a roster strong enough to cover for absent players and finish the regular season 15-2.<\/p>\n

The next-man-up philosophy is the key. When a teammate is injured, the next player on the depth chart steps up. Campbell explained how other positions help fill the gap, \u201cThe next guy\u2019s got to step up and serve a role for us, help us out, and then it\u2019s got to spread throughout the rest of your team, man. Everybody else has got to pull a little bit more of that load. Between the corners and the linebackers and the D-line and offense and special teams. And so, we\u2019ve just got to help each other out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three Options to Cover At Safety<\/b><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Detroit Lions safety Erick Hallett II (36) practices during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Thursday, August 21, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Branch was suspended, things turned grim. The Lions were already thin at safety with rookie Dan Jackson and Daniel Thomas on injured reserve. Kerby Joseph<\/a> has been battling injuries throughout the season. Joseph is an elite talent when healthy. However, in trying to play while injured, his performance suffered. He is questionable to play Monday night.<\/p>\n

When asked about his availability, Campbell was cautious, \u201cWe\u2019ll reassess here. We saw the game the other day. He tried to gut through it, played most of the game, and, look, it wasn\u2019t his best performance, and he\u2019ll tell you that, too. He was giving us what he had, so we\u2019ll have to reassess.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balancing the need for a dominant performance from Joseph versus one that leaves the team vulnerable at the position will be the determining factor. If he’s deemed unavailable, the next players on the roster at safety are Erick Hallett <\/a>and Thomas Harper<\/a>. Earlier this week, to provide added depth, Holmes signed safety Jammie Robinson<\/a> off their practice squad.<\/p>\n

Jammie Robinson<\/b><\/h4>\n

Scoring an overall grade of 74 at the NFL combine, the 5\u201911\u201d 191 lb. Georgia native was graded a 79 for production and came in fourth. NFL analyst Lance Zierlein<\/a> described him as a \u201cfeisty defender whose success could be determined by how a team decides to deploy him.\u201d Noting that he thrives when playing downhill, Zierlein added, \u201cHe plays with urgency on every snap.\u201d Possessing explosive speed and determination, Robinson could find a role on special teams as well.<\/p>\n

A fifth-round draft pick in 2023 by the Carolina Panthers, Jammie Robinson<\/a> has the untapped potential to be the impact player the Lions are seeking. Although he never found a fit in Carolina or in subsequent stints with the Arizona Cardinals<\/a> and Chiefs, this may be the perfect opportunity for Robinson to find his niche.<\/p>\n

When asked about the acquisition of Robinson, Campbell was enthusiastic, “Brad\u2019s kept an eye on him for a while, always kind of tracked where he\u2019s at, when he\u2019s been available. And so, to be able to poach him and get him for a few weeks here, it\u2019ll be good to get a look at him. But we do like him. He\u2019s an aggressive, pretty tough kid, can play special teams. We think there\u2019s nickel, safety flex – probably starting with safety. But we like him, yeah. We\u2019ll get a peek at him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Erick Hallett\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

Erick Hallett<\/a> is another option. During his collegiate career at Pitt, the 5\u201911\u201d 190 lb. He recorded 168 tackles (115 solo), 24 pass defenses, eight interceptions, 7.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown. The former Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist tied for third in the ACC with eight interceptions and ranked seventh in the conference with 24 pass defenses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a> in the sixth round of the 2023 draft, Hallett spent the year on the Jaguars’ practice squad. When he was waived the following year, he was signed by Detroit. Hallet\u2019s first appearance with the Lions was last week against Kansas City.<\/a> He played six snaps on special teams.<\/p>\n

Thomas Harper<\/b><\/h4>\n

During his NFL combine performance, Zeirlein praised Thomas Harper’s<\/a> tenacity and toughness in coverage. As a run defender with above-average explosiveness, he could play both nickel and safety. Zierlein also noted his ability to stay hyper-focused on his man in coverage.<\/p>\n

Harper, the 5’10” 189 lb. younger brother of Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker, Devin Harper, signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as a UDFA in 2024. A few weeks later, he was claimed off waivers by the Las Vegas Raiders. Last year, he recorded 22 tackles (12 solo), 0.5 sacks, two pass defenses, and an interception for Las Vegas. The Lions signed him off waivers in late August.<\/p>\n

When asked about him this week, Campbell was upbeat. “Harp went in the other day; he didn\u2019t play a ton, but it\u2019s what we have seen in practice. I mean, there\u2019s some stuff in there, there\u2019s a few things in there that are pretty encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lions’ Reserve Players Have The Perfect Opportunity \u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

A reserve player in the NFL dreams of this kind of opportunity. It\u2019s the chance he\u2019s been waiting for; an opportunity to prove himself and make an impact. Careers have been made coming in off the bench. While the lack of experience for each of these individuals is a concern, perhaps one of these players will be the one to step up and make a difference.<\/p>\n

Fans can take heart knowing the Lions accomplished their incredible 15-2 season with a patchwork lineup consisting of reserve players and free agent acquisitions to fill the gaps. \u00a0If the Lions managed a winning season a year ago despite all the injuries, there’s no reason to doubt the team’s ability to do it again this year.<\/p>\n

Main Image: \u00a0Junfu Han \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Following Brian Branch’s suspension, the Detroit Lions are focused on preparing for Monday night\u2019s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5208,"featured_media":251477,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6431,24,29],"tags":[8938,32861,7464,7467,33646,32808,32673],"class_list":["post-250383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-teams","category-lions","category-buccaneers","tag-aidan-hutchinson","tag-brain-branch","tag-dan-campbell","tag-detroit-lions-news","tag-erick-hallett","tag-kerby-joseph","tag-thomas-harper"],"modified_by":"Drew Crabtree","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5208"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=250383"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251480,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250383\/revisions\/251480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=250383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=250383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=250383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}