Brian Branch Says Lions Are ‘Hungry’ After Injury-Plagued 2024

The Lions had some offseason turnover. But getting injured players back and continuity with the defensive coaching staff will be critical to repeating success.

Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders scrambles with the ball as Brian Branch #32 of the Detroit Lions dives to apply pressure during the third quarter in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Jan. 18, 2025. Nic Antaya/Getty Images

Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch said the defense is going into this season hungry.

Injuries derailed the Lions’ defense all season; at one point the team had 21 players on injured reserve, 16 of which were on defense. The Lions will also be dealing with some turnover after losing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets and several key contributors to free agency. But Branch told the Detroit Free Press that the team’s chemistry will carry them through.

“I feel like we’re better than last year,” Branch said over the weekend. “We’re hungry, and I feel that’s gonna separate us. Our chemistry is on a whole other level.”

The Lions are returning nearly their entire starting lineup from last season. The defense lost cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Kindle Vildor to the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively; safety Ifeatu Melifonwu to the Miami Dolphins; and defensive end Jonah Williams to the New Orleans Saints. They also released defensive end Za'Darius Smith and linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Abraham Beauplan. Defensive end John Cominsky medically retired in the offseason.

The Lions filled the vacancy by signing veteran cornerback D.J. Reed. They added depth pieces at corner by signing journeyman veteran Rock Ya-Sin and longtime Philadelphia Eagles nickel corner Avonte Maddox; they drafted Georgia safety Dan Jackson in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They also added depth at linebacker by signing veterans Grant Stuard and Zach Cunningham. They drafted defensive tackle Tyleik Williams out of Ohio State in the first round of the draft and defensive end Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round. They also signed Roy Lopez and Raequan Williams in free agency.

Most importantly, the Lions are getting back a number of key contributors that the defense lost to injury last season. During the course of the 2024 season, the Lions lost for an extended period of time:

• linebacker Alex Anzalone to a broken arm;
• defensive tackle David Bada to an Achilles tear
• linebacker Derrick Barnes to MCL and PCL tears in his knee;
• Cominsky, to an MCL tear;
• defensive end Marcus Davenport to a tricep injury;
• Davis to a fractured jaw;
• defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg;
• defensive end Nate Lynn to a shoulder injury;
• defensive end Alim McNeill to an ACL tear;
• Melifonwu, to a broken finger;
• defensive tackle Kyle Peko to a pectoral injury;
• corner Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to a hamstring injury;
• Reeves-Maybin, to a shoulder injury;
• linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez to an ACL tear; and
• defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo to a knee injury.

For the players who remained in the lineup, the adversity they faced from losing so many leaders on the defensive side of the ball, and fighting through that adversity to win the tough games, creates buy-in. Branch said that makes the defensive players feel “invincible.”

Getting the defense back to full strength will help the Lions improve a defense whose performance had a lot of peaks and valleys. The Lions were 28th in the league in passing yards allowed with 4,404; but they were tied for second in the league in passing touchdowns allowed with just 18. They were tied for fifth in the league in interceptions with 16. However, they were tied for 23rd in the NFL in sacks with just 37. The Lions were fifth in total rushing yards allowed with 1,672 but tied for 17th in rushing TDs with 18. They were also tied for 12th in rushing fumbles with 7.

The Lions also lost defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who was hired as the head coach of the New York Jets. However, they will still have continuity with their new DC: Kelvin Sheppard is in his fifth season in Detroit. Before being promoted to DC, Sheppard previously served under Glenn as outside linebackers coach in 2021, then as linebackers coach from 2022 to 2024.

All that continuity will be critical as the Lions hope to continue their recent success.

“We’ve still got the same mission and the same goals,” Branch said. “We’re trying to get that Super Bowl.”