The Good: Detroit moved Brian Branch from the nickel cornerback spot, where he played as a rookie, to safety alongside Kerby Joseph in 2024 and the pair became arguably the best safety duo in football. Joseph earned his first All-Pro nod and Branch was named to his first Pro Bowl.
Joseph recorded 83 tackles (58 solo), defended 12 passes and led the league with nine interceptions. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors, becoming the first Lions safety to do so since Yale Lary in 1962. Joseph's 12 defended passes were tied for first among all NFL safeties.
Since entering the league in 2022, Joseph leads the NFL in interceptions (17) and has the most passes defended (31) among all safeties. He's the first safety to record at least four interceptions in each of the first three seasons of a player's career since Ed Reed in 2002-04. He's become a legitimate star at the position in just three seasons.
In just his second season, Branch has become one of the most productive defensive backs in the NFL. He recorded 109 tackles (79 solo), 16 passes defended, eight tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, four interceptions, a sack and one forced fumble this season playing both safety and nickel corner. He moved back to the nickel late in the year when Amik Robertson had to move outside to replace Carlton Davis III, who broke his jaw in the middle of December. It's that versatility while maintaining his playmaking that makes Branch truly special.
Branch is just the second Lions player to post 15 pass defenses and five tackles for loss in a single season since at least 1999 and his 12 forced incompletions were No. 1 among all the league's safeties, per Pro Football Focus.
Joseph and Branch accounted for six interceptions in the Lions end zone. Both are also terrific tacklers, as the 1,804 yards allowed after the catch by the Lions' defense were the seventh fewest in the league this year.
Detroit's defense is a safety-friendly scheme, allowing the position to read the quarterback and play freely to make plays. Both Joseph and Branch excelled in it, and it's not expected to change a whole lot with former linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard taking over as defensive coordinator.
| Name | Games | Tackles | TFL | INT | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Branch | 16 | 109 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 1 |
| Kerby Joseph | 17 | 93 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Morice Norris* | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*One playoff appearance
The bad: It was a really tough year for veteran safety Ifeatu Melifonwu as injuries became a big storyline for him once again. He came on so strong at the end of the 2023 season but ankle and finger injuries didn't allow him to return to the lineup until December. He only played in four games this season, including playoffs, and Melifonwu has played more than 10 games in a season just once in his four seasons.
The safety position is the last line of defense in the passing game, and though it's not just a safety statistic, Detroit did give up the second-most passes of 20-plus yards this season (62) behind only Jacksonville (71).
Key stat: Detroit was one of the most effective blitzing teams in the NFL, especially from the safety position. Opposing passers had just a 80.3 passer rating with six touchdowns, four interceptions and were sacked 14 times on blitzing pass situations. The 80.3 passer rating was the fourth-lowest in the NFL this season behind Buffalo (75.8), Houston (76.3) and Minnesota (79.3).
Free agents: Melifonwu
Melifonwu has the size, versatility and skillset to be a playmaker in this league. We saw it at the end of the 2023 season when he was a big part of Detroit's run to their first division title in over 30 years. But injuries are also part of his story, too.
He told detroitlions.com after the playoff loss to Washington that he'd like to be back in Detroit. With Joseph and Branch emerging as the clear 1A and 1B at safety, it'll be interesting to see if that's a possibility come the start of the new league year.
The Lions will also have an upcoming decision to make on the future of Joseph as he enters the final season of his rookie contract in 2025.
View photos of the Detroit Lions defensive backs from the 2024 NFL season.
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 5, 2025 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3, 2024 in Green Bay, Wis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) recovers a fumble during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) intercepts a pass during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) intercepts a pass during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 20, 2024 in Minneapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 5, 2024 in Detroit. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) breaks up a pass during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 22, 2024 in Chicago. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) catches an interception during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10, 2024 in Houston. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Nov. 10, 2024 in Houston. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 24, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) breaks up a pass during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 22, 2024 in Glendale, Ariz. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3, 2024 in Green Bay, Wis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 5, 2025 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (42) and Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 5, 2025 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 22, 2024 in Chicago. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (4) during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 24, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Morice Norris (40) during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 30, 2024 in Santa Clara. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (15) during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 8, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) forces a fumble during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 27, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46), Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 3, 2024 in Green Bay, Wis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions safety Loren Strickland (24) during an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 24, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 17, 2024 in Detroit. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions via AP)
Draft: Safety is a position the Lions could stand to add some young depth to, especially if they don't re-sign Melifonwu. Sheppard values versatility among all his position groups defensively, and a young player who can play both safety spots, potentially slip down into the nickel and also be an effective blitzer is ideal.
A few names that could potentially fit as versatile weapons in the secondary in the first couple days of the NFL Draft are Jahdae Barron (Texas), Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina), Malaki Starks (Georgia), Xavier Watts (Notre Dame), Andrew Mukuba (Texas) and Malachi Moore (Alabama).
In his first ranking of the Top 50 prospects in this draft, NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said watching Barron reminded him of Branch when he was coming out of Alabama.
Quotable: "That's on the docket in terms of – to be looked at and discussed," Lions general manager Brad Holmes said after the season of a potential contract extension for Joseph this offseason. "He's an All-Pro player and he's another one that's gotten better and better.
"He's one that has proven that he's a Detroit Lion, he fits our culture. It's hard to find ballhawk guys that will tackle like how he does, and I think that's what makes him unique, so again, we haven't had any intense dialogue about that yet, but obviously we want to keep the good players here."
