Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch no doubt made a big impact during his first season in the NFL in 2023. Branch manned the slot for Detroit and had no shortage of success in that role.
A 2023 second-round pick, Branch surrendered a 62.7% completion rate and 86.9 passer rating when targeted, which earned him an impressive 76.0 coverage grade, according to Pro Football Focus. He also added three interceptions and 11 passes defensed.
One metric that also shows how well Branch played was his impact play percentage, which comes via James Foster of No Flags Film. Branch led all defensive backs in that metric by a wide margin, registering 7.10%.
The next closest defensive back was Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton, who totaled a 5.37% impact play percentage, a whopping 1.73% lower than Branch.
Impact Play % for 2023 defensive backs pic.twitter.com/XHgV0pioh0
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) May 7, 2024
Looking ahead to 2024, Branch is expected to return to his role in the slot, but there's a chance he may be needed at safety. Ifeatu Melifonwu has an injury history and lacks significant starting experience, and Kerby Joseph is recovering from offseason hip surgery, although he's expected to be cleared for training camp.
Branch has an injury concern of his own, though, after he was spotted in a boot and using a scooter following the 2024 NFL Draft. It isn't clear what he's dealing with exactly, or how much it'll impact him in the months to come.
