The Detroit Lions' defense was dealt its latest devastating blow on Thursday night after an injury to safety Brian Branch.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Branch suffered a torn Achilles against the Dallas Cowboys, which obviously means he won't be back this season.
"Source: Tests this morning confirmed that Lions star safety Brian Branch has torn his Achilles. Branch was injured in the fourth quarter. Tough loss for Detroit defensive backfield," Fowler reported.
Now, not only is Branch out for this season, but his ability to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign is in doubt.
The Lions are now extremely short-handed in their secondary after cornerback Terrion Arnold suffered a season-ending shoulder injury last week.
Adding to that, safety Kerby Joseph has been sidelined for the majority of the season with a knee injury that could impact him the rest of his career.
If the Lions are interested in adding more help at safety (they should be) for their playoff push, they have two clear options to target in free agency right now.
One of those options is safety Justin Simmons, who remains on the open market after not landing with a team all season long.
Simmons told Kay Adams recently that he is very much interested in playing this year and he would likely have interest in joining a contending team like the Lions (our words, not his).
Simmons is a two-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. His best days might be behind him at the age of 32, but he'd likely still be better than Detroit's backups.
In 2024, Simmons posted solid coverage numbers, giving up a completion rate of 59.5% and a passer rating of 81.9 when targeted. According to Pro Football Focus, Simmons posted grades of 60.8 in coverage and 53.8 in run defense.
Simmons offers a good deal of versatility. While he has played the majority of his career snaps at free safety, he has also lined up in the box and in the slot.
Another safety the Lions could target is three-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro Tyrann Mathieu.
Mathieu announced his retirement earlier this year, but he recently stated he might have interest in coming out of retirement.
"I mean, I'm like, not going to say no, I won't say no," said Mathieu, who noted he might be interested in coming back to play for the Kansas City Chiefs, one of his former teams.
While he didn't express interest in any other team, it would be worth giving him a call because Mathieu could have interest in joining a Lions team that has a chance to make some noise in the playoffs, if they get there.
In 2024, Mathieu posted a completion rate against of 61.1% and a passer rating when targeted of 76.4. PFF gave Mathieu a run defense grade of 65.0 and a coverage grade of 57.8.
Mathieu has played all over during his career, including in the box, at free safety and in the slot, so he can fit wherever the Lions need him.
While neither player is guaranteed to provide the boost the Lions are looking for, it is still worth giving both Mathieu and Simmons a call to gauge their interest as the Lions look to make a playoff push over the final four contests of the season.
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