Only Team With Two Top-10 Safeties: Lions’ Brian Branch (No. 2) and Kerby Joseph (No. 5) Are Redefining NFL Defense

The Detroit Lions have not just built a contender—they’ve built a new identity. And at the heart of that identity is a pair of safeties unlike anything the NFL has seen in years. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, ranked No. 2 and No. 5 respectively in the latest 2025 NFL safety rankings, have become the defining duo in Detroit’s defensive revival. Together, they’ve turned the back end of the Lions’ secondary into a place where drives go to die, and quarterbacks learn to fear throwing deep.

It’s rare enough to find one elite safety who combines natural instincts with ball-hawking brilliance and the ability to change a game on any given snap. The Lions have two. That’s more than rare—it’s historic. In a league increasingly dictated by passing offenses and vertical threats, Branch and Joseph offer Detroit something invaluable: the ability to erase mistakes before they become touchdowns, and to flip the field with game-breaking plays.

Brian Branch’s meteoric rise to No. 2 in the safety rankings has been one of the most talked-about developments of the past season. Entering the league out of Alabama, Branch brought with him the “Saban DNA” — smart, tough, assignment-sound football with an edge. But what he’s become in Detroit is something even greater: a modern hybrid defender who can line up in the slot, play deep, crash into the box, and still have the energy and discipline to lock up tight ends and track running backs out of the backfield.

He’s a film-room junkie. Coaches rave about how Branch is always the first in, last out, devouring hours of tape like a quarterback preparing for a playoff game. His pre-snap recognition has evolved to a point where he often knows what the offense is doing before the ball is snapped. And then there’s the pop — that sudden explosion when he reads a screen, shoots a gap, and finishes a tackle behind the line.

Branch doesn’t just rack up stats; he alters gameplans. Offensive coordinators have learned not to test him too often. Whether it’s sniffing out a jet sweep, cutting off an angle on a screen pass, or baiting a quarterback into throwing an ill-advised seam route, Branch has made himself unavoidable on the field and undeniable in rankings. His presence shrinks the field, shortens the playbook, and forces opponents into decisions they don’t want to make.

Then there’s Kerby Joseph — the ballhawk. Ranked No. 5 in the league, Joseph’s hands and instincts have turned him into a turnover machine. The former Illinois star made a name for himself early in his career with clutch interceptions and jaw-dropping range. But now, with more experience and trust in his own reads, Joseph is not just reacting — he’s dictating.

His ability to high-point the football and make receivers uncomfortable in contested situations has become a signature feature of Detroit’s defense. Quarterbacks are routinely caught off-guard by Joseph’s closing speed. He covers ground like a center fielder, turning would-be completions into highlight-reel takeaways.

But what’s truly dangerous about Joseph isn’t just the interceptions — it’s what he does after them. With the ball in his hands, he turns into a return man, instantly flipping field position and momentum. In a sport of inches, that kind of playmaking creates seismic shifts. One second, an opposing team is in the red zone. The next, Detroit has the ball near midfield, and the crowd is on its feet.

Both Branch and Joseph thrive on instincts, but they approach the position with contrasting styles that complement each other perfectly. Branch is the enforcer — the tone-setter who delivers hits and glues himself to routes. Joseph is the gambler — the predator waiting in the weeds for the slightest mistake. Together, they are a blend of calculation and chaos, order and unpredictability.

And perhaps the most impressive thing? They trust each other. That trust, according to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, is what elevates them beyond just being two talented individuals. “They know where the other guy is going to be,” Glenn said in a recent interview. “They cover for each other. They communicate constantly. They’re like twin processors out there.”

In a league that’s trending toward positionless football, the Lions’ safeties have embraced versatility without losing identity. Both can cover. Both can tackle. Both can blitz. But more importantly, both can lead. That leadership has begun to infect the entire defense. Younger players on the roster are absorbing their preparation habits, their practice energy, and their emotional control. Branch and Joseph have become the defensive thermostat for Detroit — if they’re locked in, everyone else follows.

The numbers support their ascension. In 2024, Detroit’s pass defense improved drastically in second-half situations, and a big reason for that was the Lions’ ability to disguise coverages and confuse quarterbacks. Branch and Joseph were at the center of it all, using pre-snap motion and eye manipulation to bait throws and shut down entire portions of the field.

They combined for eight interceptions, 22 passes defended, and over 140 tackles — but even those numbers only tell part of the story. Their impact shows up in forced timeouts, adjusted routes, and panicked quarterbacks checking down before they even glance deep. It shows up in the way teams call games differently when they’re in Detroit. It shows up in wins.

The culture shift that head coach Dan Campbell promised when he took the job has taken root. Grit, toughness, and accountability aren’t just slogans — they’re evident in the way Branch and Joseph play the game. There’s an edge, but also a joy. They love the game, love the grind, and most of all, love winning.

When asked about their ranking as the only duo of safeties in the NFL top 10, Joseph deflected. “I don’t really care where we’re ranked,” he said. “We’re not playing for numbers. We’re playing for rings.”

Branch, ever the technician, added: “It’s a blessing, but we know the work’s not done. We want to be remembered — not just for rankings, but for what we do when it matters most.”

As the Lions prepare for a season filled with expectation, the safety duo has taken on an even greater importance. In playoff football, it’s often the team that gets the crucial takeaway or makes the fourth-quarter stop that advances. Branch and Joseph give Detroit that advantage. They give the Lions the belief that no lead is safe for the opponent, and no deficit is too large to overcome.

They’ve become the backbone of a franchise on the rise — a team that was once defined by futility, now defined by fight. And while Detroit’s offense often gets headlines for its creativity and explosiveness, it’s the defensive back end — and specifically these two safeties — that might just be the final piece of a championship puzzle.

In a city starved for football glory, Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are offering more than just hope. They’re delivering results. They’re proving that defense still matters, that instincts still count, and that the right duo, in the right system, with the right mindset, can tilt the field in any direction they choose.

So when the ball is in the air this season and the stakes are highest, don’t be surprised if Branch or Joseph is the one coming down with it. They’ve done it before. They’ll do it again. And every time they do, the roar in Detroit gets louder. The belief gets stronger. And the dream of something greater — a Super Bowl parade down Woodward Avenue — edges closer to reality.