The Detroit Lions are heading into Week 1 of the 2026 season without their star safety duo Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, leaving a major hole in the heart of the secondary. With both starters on the PUP list and recovering from last season’s injuries, Dan Campbell may have to rely on backup options and new additions from the offseason.
As the Lions’ safety depth remains a concern in 2026, Dan Campbell delivered encouraging news this morning. The backup safety Thomas Harper, who got injured during the preseason, is ‘ready to go’ on Sunday.
“Yeah, well, we feel Harper’s going to be running around out there today, and then hopefully, you know, everything goes well today,” Campbell said. “We see him taking more reps tomorrow, and so we’re anticipating he’ll be ready to go. So we feel good about that room right now.”
The 25-year-old sustained an ankle injury during training camp, forcing him to miss part of the preseason. After missing a couple of weeks of action, he is set to return to action and join the Lions’ secondary room. While he sat out for the latter half of the preseason, he showed a flash of his potential in his first preseason game.
Thomas Harper’s Strong 2025 Campaign Could Pay Off Again
Thomas Harper was undrafted in 2024. He played for the Las Vegas Raiders in his rookie season before moving to Detroit in 2025. Amid a pile of injuries in the secondary last year, the 25-year-old stepped up, playing 12 games and starting 9. He had a respectable campaign with 37 tackles and 1 TFL.
He continued his good run this year in the Lions’ preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. Harper managed 3 solo tackles. However, after the game, he was sidelined with an ankle injury.
As he is entering his second year with the Lions, he has a strong understanding of Dan Campbell’s playbook without needing the time to adjust if he indeed starts in the absence of Branch and Joseph. While he is not the designated starter this year, Harper was consistent throughout the 2025 season when he received the opportunity, receiving a 77.8 PFF grade and ranking 11th among all qualified NFL safeties.
Additionally, he got a 75.9 coverage grade, which placed him in the top ten. Therefore, Harper’s availability is a big positive for the franchise when they face the Saints in the season opener.
Given their presence on the PUP list, Branch and Joseph will not be eligible to play the first four weeks of the regular season when the Lions’ current veteran safety options step into a bigger role.
Lions’ Safety Room Leans On Veteran Experience Amid Injuries
When healthy, the Lions have one of the safety duos in the NFL with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. But for now, the veteran Chuck Clark, who was brought to the team this season, is going to be a key starter. The nine-season veteran has 80 starts to his resume alongside 504 total tackles.
The other starter is anticipated to be another experienced name, Avonte Maddox, who previously spent seven seasons with the Eagles before featuring in 14 games for the Lions last season. In the depth chart, the Lions have Christian Izien in addition to Thomas Harper.
Lions’ Safety Room Gets Encouraging Update Ahead of Week 1 Saints Game