Brian Branch, the Detroit Lions’ cornerback, is recovering from surgery on his lower left leg and will be out of play until training camp. Branch was observed riding a one-legged scooter at the NFL Draft in Detroit in late April.
While Branch is making good progress, he will miss the rest of the team’s planned practices, as well as next month’s mini-camp, according to Dave Birkett of Detroit Free Press.
“He had a little cleanup there,” Lions coach Dan Campbell told Birkett. “Something that came out of last year, that hoped it may heal, and then it just ended up being, you know, we need to get this thing done. So that’s where he is. That and I believe he enjoys riding the scooter.
However, he appears to be making good improvement. We believe he will be ready to go in camp, and if not early enough, he will certainly get enough reps to be ready for the season. “That’s how we feel right now.”
Branch had an outstanding rookie season in 2023. After being drafted in the second round out of Alabama, he soon established himself as a big playmaker. He has 74 tackles, three interceptions, and one score in 15 games.
The pick-six came in Branch’s NFL debut, Detroit’s 21-20 season-opening victory over the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. He caught a Pat Mahomes ball that went off the hands of Kadarius Toney and returned it 50 yards for the touchdown.
Branch was tied for fifth in the Rookie of the Year vote.
He missed two games after spraining his right ankle in a Week 4 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
The Lions will also be without starter safety Kerby Joseph this spring due to off-season hip surgery.
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