The injury woes ripped through different positions of the Detroit Lions in 2025, and the safety unit was among the hardest hit. After All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph was sidelined early in the regular season, Dan Campbell was forced to elevate Thomas Harper, who ended the season starting 9 games for the Honolulu Blues.
The franchise’s secondary took another hit when another key name, Brian Branch, went down with a season-ending torn Achilles, allowing Harper to stretch his horizon, as he went from adding depth to taking every snap. After his impressive display, Harper, who went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, has found footing in Dan Campbell’s playbook, and he is expected to start for the franchise, especially if either Kerby Joseph or Brian Branch fails to recover by week 1, per A to Z Sports‘ Mike Payton.
“I see really good things for Thomas Harper. I absolutely believe that he can be a starter in this league, and he could be a starter for the Lions,” said Payton. “Even if the Lions are waiting for Brian Branch this year, I think Harper is the guy who is starting in place of him. I absolutely see Thomas Harper as somebody the Lions are going to be so happy that they held on to. They made sure to keep him this year. So definitely look at Harper as a real breakout.”
Thomas Harper Made the Most of His Starting Opportunities in 2025
After going undrafted in 2024, the 25-year-old played for the Las Vegas Raiders in his rookie season as a rotational player. But when he stepped in to fill the roles of the starters in 2025, he was surprisingly good, and his production was elite.
From 9 starts, he managed 37 tackles. His overall PFF defensive grade was 77.8, placing him 11th among the NFL safeties last year with a snap count of 482. Additionally, he was placed in the top ten among the 98 eligible safeties of the league with a 75.9 PFF Coverage Grade.
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Playing his second year, Harper also showed seamless versatility. For instance, he mainly played in the slot corner position at the Raiders, but he adopted a true safety role in Campbell’s playbook and still delivered.
He is in the final year of his rookie contract, and if his production remains consistent and he has a breakout year, as Mike Payton predicts, his future in Detroit could be secured with a big next contract.
While Harper remains an insurance policy for the Lions’ safety position next season, they played it safe this offseason, bringing in two more veterans.
Detroit Lions’ Offseason Additions Give Stability at Safety Position
With uncertainty looming over Joseph and Branch, they added two new seasoned safeties to the squad through free agency. Chuck Clark and Christian Izien, the new additions to the unit, have years of experience in the league.
GettySafety Chuck Clark
Chuck Clark is an eight-season veteran, playing 123 league games for the Ravens, Jets, and Steelers. On the other hand, Christian Izien previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons, featuring in 45 games. If Campbell faces last season’s recurring issue once again, they will have the answers this time around.
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