The Detroit Lions have been without safety Brian Branch since Dec. 4, 2025.

That's far too long for the Lions to go without a difference-making player in the secondary, but now, 24 hours ahead of Week 7, the team has officially activated him from Reserve/PUP.

Branch is eligible to make his season debut in an NFC North showdown against the Green Bay Packers, and head coach Dan Campbell knows just how big of a boost this truly is.

The 25-year-old saw the field in both of the Packers vs. Lions games last season, racking up 15 combined total tackles.

Branch's third-year in the NFL was cut short after 12 games, and while his 75 tackles were more than the 74 he had as a rookie in 15 games, he knew he still had a lot left in the tank.

Remember, Branch recorded 109 total tackles during the 2024 season. This is a defensive back who keeps getting better, as seen with his 2.5 sacks a year ago.

Even though this'll be his first game back in 324 days, Branch is no one to be messed with. This Lions defense has struggled, big time, without his contributions.

The 2024 Pro Bowler was a second-round pick for a reason, and now it's his time to shine in a game the Lions desperately need to go their way.

Detroit, fresh off a bye week, is ready for its first divisional matchup of the season. The Lions don't play the Packers again until Week 18, but that could easily be a game that decides the fate of the NFC North.

Branch missed out on a 3-2 start to the season, but the Lions now return home for the first time since Sept. 27, when they survived the New York Jets, 31-24.

Detroit is 2-0 at home this season, and there's no doubt it'll be an incredible atmosphere for Branch to play in his return.

Keep in mind, the Lions may be undefeated at home this year, but those wins come by a combined eight points, and one of those wins was in overtime.

Arguably no quarterback in football loves to throw the ball downfield more than Jordan Love.

His receiving duo of Christian Watson and Matthew Golden continue to set the world on fire, and while they'll likely be tempted to test Branch in his first game back, he could quickly humble Love and Co., as he's proven time and time again he's no one to mess with.

Branch didn't have a single interception last year, but he had seven combined in his first two seasons.