Following the NFL’s upholding of Brian Branch’s one-game suspension, the Detroit Lions are focused on covering his absence and preparing for Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Detroit Lions Moving Forward After Branch Suspension
Regardless of JuJu Smith-Schuster’s 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 is one of the league’s 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.
Even before “the slap seen round the NFL,” 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. Now, with the Bucs’ 5-1 record leading the NFC, and Baker Mayfield topping the list of MVP candidates, Detroit has plenty of work to do.
Discussing the challenge the Buccaneers present, Dan Campbell admitted, “So, we’ve got our hands full – quarterback’s playing really good football right now. Got a lot of respect for him, the way he plays the game. They’ll grind it out, but they’ve got an explosive element on their offense – they’ve got guys they can throw to here, they can run the ball, good offensive line, defense. You’ve got to be ready for it all.”
Losing one of Detroit’s elite defenders before such a critical game doesn’t help. However, as Campbell points out, “There again, my job is to move forward, here. I know this, we don’t have him. We don’t have him…. I mean, we’ll figure it out. Shepp (Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard) will have a good plan, and we’ll talk about what we need to do. And we’ll have a plan ready, and we’ll be ready to play Tampa Bay.”
Covering A Depleted Lions Secondary
Last year’s injury-riddled season provided the gold standard blueprint for overcoming player injuries. Exactly one year ago, after Aidan Hutchinson 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.
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’Darius Smith. 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.
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, “The next guy’s got to step up and serve a role for us, help us out, and then it’s 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’ve just got to help each other out.”
Three Options to Cover At Safety
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 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.
When asked about his availability, Campbell was cautious, “We’ll reassess here. We saw the game the other day. He tried to gut through it, played most of the game, and, look, it wasn’t his best performance, and he’ll tell you that, too. He was giving us what he had, so we’ll have to reassess.”
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 and Thomas Harper. Earlier this week, to provide added depth, Holmes signed safety Jammie Robinson off their practice squad.
Jammie Robinson
Scoring an overall grade of 74 at the NFL combine, the 5’11” 191 lb. Georgia native was graded a 79 for production and came in fourth. NFL analyst Lance Zierlein described him as a “feisty defender whose success could be determined by how a team decides to deploy him.” Noting that he thrives when playing downhill, Zierlein added, “He plays with urgency on every snap.” Possessing explosive speed and determination, Robinson could find a role on special teams as well.
A fifth-round draft pick in 2023 by the Carolina Panthers, Jammie Robinson 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 and Chiefs, this may be the perfect opportunity for Robinson to find his niche.
When asked about the acquisition of Robinson, Campbell was enthusiastic, “Brad’s kept an eye on him for a while, always kind of tracked where he’s at, when he’s been available. And so, to be able to poach him and get him for a few weeks here, it’ll be good to get a look at him. But we do like him. He’s an aggressive, pretty tough kid, can play special teams. We think there’s nickel, safety flex – probably starting with safety. But we like him, yeah. We’ll get a peek at him.”
Erick Hallett
Erick Hallett is another option. During his collegiate career at Pitt, the 5’11” 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.
Drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars 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’s first appearance with the Lions was last week against Kansas City. He played six snaps on special teams.
Thomas Harper
During his NFL combine performance, Zeirlein praised Thomas Harper’s 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.
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.
When asked about him this week, Campbell was upbeat. “Harp went in the other day; he didn’t play a ton, but it’s what we have seen in practice. I mean, there’s some stuff in there, there’s a few things in there that are pretty encouraging.”
Lions’ Reserve Players Have The Perfect Opportunity
A reserve player in the NFL dreams of this kind of opportunity. It’s the chance he’s 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.
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. If 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.
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