Allen Park — Perhaps you’ve heard the news: Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch is slated to return to action this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, 325 days after he suffered a torn Achilles.
Even if it takes a minute for Branch to shake off the rust he’s accumulated during the lengthy layoff and rehab, he figures to provide a significant boost to Detroit’s secondary, which has arguably been the team’s biggest weakness more than a month into the season.
As coach Dan Campbell puts it, Branch gives the Lions flexibility. The defender can play high and help protect against some of the explosive plays that have plagued the unit. Or he can line up in the box and be a disruptive playmaker coming downhill.
Critically, Branch is someone the coaches and teammates can trust to do his job, elevating those around him.
Branch hasn’t been absent from the lineup long enough for fans to forget about what he brings to the table. Regardless, instead of relying on your memory, I thought it might be interesting to get perspectives from the teammates who have shared the field with him and are so amped for his return.
Ahead of Branch’s season debut, I asked six veteran defenders to define what he means to the defense. Below are their answers, in full: