The Detroit Lions got one of the steals of the 2023 NFL Draft when they took Alabama safety Brian Branch in the second round. He was projected as a first-round pick but fell to the Lions in the second. Branch is known for his hard-hitting play, which has gotten him into some trouble with the league. The league has often fined him for hits they deemed against the safety rules the league has put into practice. Safeties coach Jim O’Neil talked in a recent press conference about how he is helping Branch avoid fines this year.
Detroit Lions Coach On Brian Branch
The Detroit Lions’ secondary is tough to throw against, thanks in part to Brian Branch. He can cover a lot of ground and has great tackling instincts. However, he gets into trouble when he lowers his head. Last season, the NFL fined him a total of $70,896. Getting him to slightly change his tackling style will help keep him healthy and keep the league off his back. O’Neill talked about what he was doing with Branch in the offseason.
“I have, and got a custom bag, it’s about that high off the ground. And we’re gonna live on that post practice, so that I can help him save some of his money. But it’s not anything, he’s not trying to hurt guys out there. As you guys know, those are bang-bang plays. If I’m a DB, I have my aiming point on where I’m about to strike a guy.
If a guy catches and his aiming point drops, it ends up helmet to helmet or shoulder to helmet or shoulder to neck. That stuff’s a lot easier to coach in slow motion than it is in full-speed. The answer is to, yeah, just go lower every time, now you’re hurting guys. We’ll work on it.”
O’Neill expresses what is so tough for NFL defenders. Plays happen fast, and players have to make decisions fast. Branch doesn’t want to intentionally hurt people, but when he is trying to knock the ball out of a receiver’s hands, he sometimes uses too much of his helmet.
Will This Help?
Unfortunately, many people have already labeled Brian Branch as a dirty player. Unfortunately, the NFL has made it so that tackling is incredibly difficult. Fellow safety Kerby Joseph has come under fire for targeting the knees of many players. However, in his defense, tackling high means a fine. Given the speed of the game and the way players move, it can be difficult to avoid certain contact.
The good news is that the Detroit Lions are trying to help their young star avoid fines. On a rookie salary, these fines add up, and they want to stop fines and penalties on the field as well.
Final Thoughts
The Detroit Lions have one of the best safety tandems in the league. It is part of the reason the defense can be so devastating at times. They will need to be elite if they are going to defend the NFC North crown. The division has plenty of elite offenses to stop. Can they defend their crown in 2025?
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