The Detroit Lions have arguably the best safety duo in the NFL with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.
While Joseph has already gotten paid, Branch still has some time before the Lions are going to start talking to him about a contract extension. that said, he's no doubt on a trajectory to getting paid handsomely.
After an impressive rookie season working mostly out of the slot, Branch moved to safety full time in 2025 and continued his stellar play en route to earning his first-career Pro Bowl nod.
Colton Pouncy of The Athletic predicts Branch will take yet another step forward in 2025 by being one of the finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year award, something he has never achieved in his career.
The easy name here is Aidan Hutchinson, but that’s not exactly bold now is it? Branch, in many ways, is equally as important to this defense as Hutchinson. He shifts between safety or nickel depending on what the offense is showing. His instincts are off the charts, he hits like a linebacker and covers like a cornerback. It seems like new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has been sending Branch on blitzes more often in practice, so that aggression could lead to some sacks. He was arguably the most impressive player in training camp for the Lions, and this defense has a chance to be among the NFL’s best. Not likely, but not impossible. — Colton Pouncy
A former second-round pick, Branch will likely be up for an extension as early as 2026, when he'll be entering the final year of his rookie contract.
If Branch turns in the kind of season Pouncy predicts, he could very well reset the market at safety, which was recently achieved by Baltimore Ravens safety, Kyle Hamilton, who inked a four-year, $100.4 million contract.
Hamilton's annual average of $25.1 million blows right past the previous top safety deal, which just so happens to be owned by Joseph, who is making nearly $4 million less per year than Hamilton
Such a significant gap could freeze the top of the safety market for a bit, but when his time comes next year, Branch may very well reset it again.
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