On Wednesday, Brian Branch returned to practice after being sidelined for10 months with an Achilles injury, giving the Detroit Lions one half of their Pro Bowl safety duo. Branch will likely take some time to acclimate, but he’s eager to get back on the field.
“I want to be back my damn self, so I’m ready to be out there,” Branch said in the locker room on Wednesday.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said “it’ll take a minute” for Branch to kick off the rust, considering he hasn’t had any practice reps in almost
a full year. However, Branch feels like he’s already starting to acclimate just one practice in. And after learning from toe surgery rehab two years ago, he’s much more locked in mentally, too.
“Shoot, I’m getting the rust off now in practice,” Branch said. “I feel good. Honestly, when I had surgery on my toe two years ago, coming back I was kinda in my head. But this time, I don’t know what transpired or what’s been going on with me, but I ain’t in my head. I’m ready to go.”
Branch also offered some optimism about the other half of the Lions’ safety duo, Kerby Joseph. Joseph has been battling a knee injury for over a year, and his timeline for a return continues to get pushed back. But Branch believes Joseph will be back.
“Kerb’s my dawg. We’ve been—we ain’t quitting, man,” Branch said. “Injured, we’ve been in this thing together for, what, 10 months, man? It’s been a long road. We’ve been fighting every day. He gonna be alright. He gonna be back. We’re gonna be back.”
There is still no timeline for Joseph’s return. The last time coach Dan Campbell offered an update on Joseph’s condition, he only reiterated that they won’t put him out on the field until they’re confident his knee is healthy and protected.
“I just know we were strengthening the knee and it wasn’t a setback, but there was a little time there where we weren’t able to do everything we needed to do. And so now we’re back at it,” Campbell said on Sept. 21. “And until we can get the knee to a certain point to where it feels strong, as strong as we can possibly get it, and he feels comfortable. We’re not going to put him out there until he’s ready.”
In the meantime, the Lions’ safety room consists of Chuck Clark, Christian Izien, Jalen Mills (practice squad), and Bishop Fitzgerald. Earlier on Wednesday, Campbell indicated that they may lean more on Mills this week vs. the Cardinals.
