Despite multiple additions during the offseason by general manager Brad Holmes, the Detroit Lions remain significantly shorthanded at the safety position thanks to the devastating injuries suffered by both Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.
Branch suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter of the club’s Week 14 December victory over the Dallas Cowboys, ending his season. Right now, his status for Training Camp, which officially begins late next month, remains undetermined. Head coach Dan Campbell said recently that there’s a “chance” he could participate, but didn’t offer a concrete timeline.
Meanwhile, Joseph missed the final 11 games of the 2025 season owing to a chronic knee injury. As far as what Campbell is expecting from him this season, he simply replied that he wasn’t sure.
In the meantime, one Lions writer believes that there is a perfect target for Holmes given the uncertainty surrounding both Joseph and Branch.
Should The Detroit Lions Target Safety Grant Delpit Of The Cleveland Browns?
In the mind of Lions writer John Maakaron of Sports Illustrated, Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit would be the perfect addition to the Lions’ safety position.
“Delpit was one bright spot on a team that finished the 2025 season with a 5-12 record,” Maakaron wrote. “After parting ways with Myles Garrett, the Browns could be open to dealing a player on the last year of his contract.Back in December of 2023, Delpit inked a three-year, $36 million extension. Despite a down season for the team, Delpit was among the bright spots on the Browns’ defense.”
Last season, BrownsonSI explained the kind of elite production the club was getting from their second round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“The Cleveland Browns are getting elite production from Grant Delpit in 2025,” Insider Cade Cracas wrote. “The former 44th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft is off to an incredible start to the season, recording 41 tackles, two for a loss, two quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one sack on the season. You’d think those numbers are coming from a linebacker or edge rusher, but it’s from one of the top safeties in the league who is dualling as a rush and pass defender. In the passing game, he’s got three deflections and one interception.”
So far in his NFL career, Delpit has amassed 451 tackles with 21 pass deflections, 6.5 sacks, seven interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles.
The Lions Remain Without Both Kerby Joseph And Brian Branch
When speaking about Joseph, Campbell said that the club is doing everything possible to ensure that he can resemble his old self.
“I know this, we’ve done everything we can do and he’s done everything he can do to this point, and we are trying to be as smart as we can and not push this until we absolutely have to,” Campbell said. “Because once we’ve done that, then we’ll know one way or another.”
Meanwhile, when speaking of Branch, Campbell said that there’s “a chance” that he could participate in Training Camp.
“I guess there’s always a chance. I’m going to just go ahead and widen the window so we don’t have to talk about it anymore. Let’s just go ahead and say December,” Campbell said of Branch. “Anything before that is a bonus.”
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