DetNews: After elite seasons, how can Lions' Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch get even better?

# After elite seasons, how can Lions’ Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch get even better?

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After a strong showing in his rookie year, the Detroit Lions made Brian Branch a full-time safety to pair alongside budding star Kerby Joseph.

Fast forward just one year, and the two have a strong case as the best safety tandem in the NFL. Joseph just received the most lucrative safety contract in NFL history, while Branch is sure to command a similar deal starting next offseason.

For as good as the two have been, their youth suggests there’s an even higher level of play that’s attainable.

“They definitely had a great year, but we’re expecting even more from them this year,” Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil said.

Branch, 23, and Joseph both received honors during the 2024 season, with Branch making his first Pro Bowl and Joseph, 24, earning First Team All-Pro after leading the league with nine interceptions.

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“It’s always good to kind of go back (and) watch the whole year,” O’Neil said. “They’ve both been outstanding. I made tapes for each guy that pulled the critical things that they need to see, but also all the different techniques so they can go back and study themselves. It’s been pretty cool.

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“Like, ‘Hey, BB, watch all your blitzes. I’ll watch them, and then let’s talk about it the next morning.’ I think when they watch it instead of you just telling them, I think you get more out of it. If they’re seeing the same thing that you’re seeing, instead of you just saying, ‘Hey, this is what I saw, you need to bet better at this (and) this,’ they come back to you and say, ‘Hey, coach, I saw I was doing this.’ (Then I say), ‘I agree. Let’s work on it this way.”

The Lions deploy Branch as a do-it-all weapon who defenses have to account for on every play, whether he be coming off the edge as a blitzer, crashing down on a run to make one of his 109 tackles, or lurking in the secondary to come down with an interception, of which he had four in his second season.

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O’Neil said the team bought a custom tackling dummy to help Branch aim lower, but defended the intentions of his Pro-Bowl safety.

“We’re going to live on that post-practice and save some of his money,” O’Neil said, adding, “He’s not trying to hurt guys out there. A lot of times … those are bang-bang plays. If I’m a DB, I have my aiming point of where I’m about to strike a guy, and then 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 is a lot easier to coach in slow motion than it is full-speed. The answer is you just go lower, but now you’re hurting guys

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As mentioned in earlier threads, Branch just needs to mature a little more and STOP the stupid personal fouls that end up hurting the team unnecessarily.

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While I agree I don’t want to hurt the team… I’ll take the 15 yarder if he’s gonna flip off Packer fans every time… Just don’t get ejected

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I’ll take the aggressive pre-whistle personal fouls where Branch aims a little too high.
I disagree on flipping off the fans.
Those are immature post whistle plays that hurt the team.
Those have to be eliminated.

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Best way to help them is a healthy Hutch making qb’s nervous and hitting them when throwing the ball. Uncomfortable qb’s make mistakes which Branch and Kerby can take advantage of

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