Brian Branch returns for Lions vs. Packers Sunday

Detroit's defense is about to get its best safety back, and Jeremy Fowler had the news Saturday.

Jeremy Fowler

@JFowlerESPN

Lions plan to activate safety Brian Branch, who returns nearly 11 months from his Achilles tear. He’s set to make his season debut Sunday vs Packers.

Branch went down on December 4, 2025, in the 4th quarter of a Thursday Night Football win over the Cowboys. Tests the next morning confirmed a torn Achilles and ended his season. Losing him that late was a gut punch for a Lions team in the middle of a playoff push.

The timeline after surgery was 8 to 12 months, which made Week 1 of 2026 a long shot. Detroit took the slow route and kept him on the physically unable to perform list. NFL.com reports he is expected to come off it in time to suit up Sunday.

He also isn't coming back on a pitch count. Branch practiced in full this week, and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said he will not be on a snap count. The Lions aren't easing him in. Their starting safety goes straight back to his starting job.

That matters because Branch is the guy who makes this secondary work. He covers the slot, comes down to hit in the run game and makes plays on the ball. He finished 2025 with 75 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 9 passes defended before the injury.

Now the question is how much burst is left in that tendon. Coming back from an Achilles is no joke, and the first few weeks will show whether he's still the same guy flying downhill. Getting him back for a division game against Green Bay is about as good a first test as it gets. If he looks like himself, Detroit's defense just got a lot scarier for the 2nd half.