After the much-awaited $81M contract extension of linebacker Jack Campbell, now speculations about safety Brian Branch’s contract extension are surfacing.

As reported by Brad Berreman of the Side Lion Report, the Detroit Lions might commit with the 2023 draft pick Brian Branch ahead of the 2026 NFL season to retain the core talent of the team.

"That’s a lot. Now, let’s talk about the possibility of the Lions making Branch one of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL. The likely extension would be something like a four-year deal worth $92 million,” Mike Payton wrote, confirming Berreman’s opinion. “That would make him the top-five highest-paid safety. He’d be the third highest paid, to be exact."

The Motor City team drafted the 24-year-old Branch for a four-year rookie contract at $8.02M, per Spotrac. 

Based on his contract, Branch’s average salary is $2.0M, with $2.83M as the signing bonus and $5.62M as the guaranteed money.

Per Payton, a $92M extension for Branch would hypothetically make him one of the league's highest-paid safeties and give the Lions the third-highest-paid secondary in the NFL.

But things are not as easy as they might look for Branch, per Berreman.

Over the three seasons, Branch has received 15 fines for on-field infractions, mainly related to illegal hits, impermissible use of the helmet, hitting a defenseless receiver, etc.

He is not alone. The 2023 draft class, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, are waiting for their contract extensions. 

It is just a matter of when, after getting the extension, Branch will become one of the top-paid athletes in his class. But it also heavily depends on his recovery.

Latest Injury Update Emerges Around Brian Branch

On December 04, 2025, while playing against the Dallas Cowboys, Branch suffered a full rupture of his right Achilles tendon. Later, in mid-December, he underwent corrective surgery to repair the tendon.

A typical ruptured Achilles tendon takes around 10-11 months to fully recover and heal. It was not just one injury, he had previously had multiple minor injuries that had already compromised his leg, Lions Wire.

If he follows the recovery timeline, he will be back by October 2026 and will make it to the PUP (physically unable to perform) list, per Jimmy Liao, MD.

Before being injured, he appeared in 12 games for the Lions and recorded 48 solo tackles and 2.5 sacks.

It is highly unlikely for him to join the OTAs, but if he follows the prescribed routine and rehab, he might return to the gridiron.

Read more at the Detroit Lions Community!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker