The Detroit Lions‘ secondary already took a hit before the season began. The starting safety duo Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph were ruled out after being placed on the PUP list, and they suffered another setback when Avonte Maddox, who started at safety, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2.
The safety room’s depth has already been depleted due to these setbacks. The Lions are set to take on the New York Jets next Sunday in Week 3. With Maddox out, the question is who could be the starting safety to play alongside Chuck Clark.
Even though the Lions haven’t confirmed the potential safety starter on Sunday, Christian Izien could be leading the race for various reasons.
Why Christian Izien Could Get the Start Against the Jets
Christian Izien was an offseason addition to the Detroit Lions, signing a one-year contract amid uncertainty over the unavailability of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. He previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he brings three seasons of NFL experience.
The Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard hinted at a big role for the experienced safety on Thursday. While talking to the media on Thursday, he said that getting Izien ready to run deep in the secondary has been a focus of the Lions coaching staff.
“I’m excited to see Christian Izzy go out there and fly around at the safety spot this week,” said Sheppard yesterday.
Having signed in March, the 26-year-old has been in the Lions’ system throughout the offseason, taking part in OTAs and training camp. Hence, he has settled into Sheppard’s defensive playbook. He is proficient at playing as both a deep safety and slot corner.
When Izien played for the Buccaneers, he took snaps as a safety. In addition, he spent his college career with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, where he took most of his defensive snaps as a safety.
While his extensive experience playing as a safety gives him an edge, his past production shows why he could be a reliable option in place of Maddox. During his time in Tampa, Izien featured in 45 games in three seasons and started 15. In his rookie year, he played all 17 regular-season games, and he started 10 games in his sophomore year. He registered 165 tackles as a Buccaneers player.
When Maddox exited the Bills game last week due to the foot injury, Thomas Harper came in as his immediate replacement. While he could also be a starter in Week 3, his ankle injury makes it unlikely.
Thomas Harper’s Practice Absence Raises Questions Ahead of Jets Clash
Thomas Harper was certainly viewed as a possible replacement for Maddox earlier, as he took 33 snaps in the Bills game, but he suffered an ankle injury. As a result, he missed the recent practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, reducing his chances of earning a starting nod. If he is healthy enough to play, there is a chance he could be used as a backup option.
Other than Harper, the Lions now have additional depth in the safety room after landing Bishop Fitzgerald from the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ practice squad this week. If Harper is ruled out for the Sunday game, he could be a primary active backup choice. In addition, Jalen Mills remains another emergency depth option from the practice squad.
With Harper’s availability still uncertain, Christian Izien appears to be a clear choice to be a starter alongside Chuck Clark. Sheppard’s latest comments suggest that he has been preparing him for that role in the next game, making it a big opportunity for the offseason addition to secure the safety spot amid a secondary crisis.
Lions vs. Jets: Who Could Replace Avonte Maddox at Safety in Week 3?