The Detroit Lions’ roster is still missing their primary safeties, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, due to severe injuries sustained ‌last season. However, a $1M safety is at their rescue. 

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the Motor City team is heavily dependent on safety Chuck Clark amid the uncertainty on the return of their primary safeties. 

“I’m still hungry like I was when I was a rookie,” Clark told the Free Press this spring. “I want it. I want to prove to everybody that I want it. I want to be an All-Pro, Pro Bowl player… I still want to prove that I’m the top of the top, like I can be in that mix.”

On March 31, 2026, the Detroit Lions signed Clark for a one-season stint at $1M, per Spotrac. 

The deal was in the Lions' interest. GM Brad Holmes wanted to increase depth on the safety position to cover for Joseph and Branch.

“Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch return as the Lions’ starting safeties and will keep those jobs as long as they’re “healthy enough to practice,” safeties coach Jim O’Neil said.

Although the Lions have made it clear that if their primary returns the job is theirs, there is no set timeline for their returns. 

During the minicamps, Clark, Thomas Harper, and Christian Izien took most of the first-team reps at safety this spring. 

Clark's veteran presence gives the required stability and proven depth at the position. Impressed by his camp’s performance, the Lions’ defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard called him a “leader, leader, leader” and “man of men”.

S Chuck Clark is one of the best safeties in the league, and the Lions could use him. But the Lions are still rooting for their primaries.

Lions plan the return of Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch

Ahead of the 2026 NFL season, the Detroit Lions are working on a plan to bring back their starting safeties, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch back to the roster. 

Per David Birkett, it is highly likely that Brian Branch would make his return first before Kerby Joseph.

Branch is expected to start training camps, but might join the regular games on a physically unable to perform list.

Whereas for Joseph, the Lions would conduct another camp amid the uncertainties around his performance due to his degenerative knee issue. 

According to O’Neil and Lions coach Dan Campbell, both the primaries have started showing up in the training camps. They are also included in the position meetings of the Lions. 

“It’s driving them both crazy not to be out there on the grass,” O’Neil said. “So they’re both highly motivated to get back, and they’re doing everything that they can to get back.”

Both the safeties are doing what is required to be done for their return to contribute their part in the Lions' path to the Lombardi Trophy.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker