The Detroit Lions have finalized their roster moves for the divisional clash with the Green Bay Packers, activating Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch and starting center Cade Mays while promoting veteran return specialist DeAndre Carter to the active roster. These moves address the team’s most critical injury gaps just three days before kickoff, replacing the season-ending loss of Tom Kennedy and restoring the starting offensive line and secondary to their intended form.
Carter Returns for Returns
Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp confirmed that Carter will immediately assume the duties of punt and kickoff returner following Kennedy’s injury against Arizona. The Lions promoted DeAndre Carter to the active roster to fill that void, leveraging his 155 career punt returns and 9.7-yard average. While Carter handles the return game, the team signed Myles Bryant to the practice squad to provide depth at safety and cornerback, listing the 28-year-old as a safety despite his history as a nickel corner.
Branch Ready for Debut
Brian Branch is set to make his season debut after recovering from an Achilles tear suffered in December. Branch stated he is ready to roll and emphasized trusting his instincts rather than forcing plays in his first action since last year. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard indicated there is no planned snap count for Branch, allowing him to play based on feel as he reintegrates into a secondary that has lacked its top playmakers for five weeks.
Mays Starts at Center
On the offensive line, Cade Mays returns to start at center, ending a five-game stint for Juice Scruggs who held the position well during Mays’ wrist injury recovery. Head coach Dan Campbell said he wants to rip the Band-Aid off and get Mays back on the field, citing the importance of stability and communication at the pivot. Campbell explicitly ruled out rotating Mays and Scruggs, noting that the center position requires a consistent partnership with the quarterback to manage the snap count and defensive calls.
Packers Pose Deep Threat
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard identified the Packers’ willingness to take deep shots as the primary challenge for Detroit’s secondary this week. Sheppard noted that Jordan Love trusts his receivers to win 50-50 balls, specifically targeting Christian Watson and Matthew Golden five or six times per game. The defensive focus has shifted to winning at the catch point rather than preventing the throw, as the Packers rank second in the league in punt return average and ninth in kickoff return average, making special teams coverage equally critical.
Historic Sack Production Continues
Despite the depleted secondary, the Lions’ defense has recorded 20 sacks through the first five games, the most in franchise history for that span. D.J. Wonnum leads the team with 5.0 sacks while Aidan Hutchinson has added 4.0, creating a pass rush that has masked coverage deficiencies. This front-seven production has allowed the team to survive early-season losses in the backfield, though the return of Branch provides the versatility needed to handle the Packers’ passing attack without relying solely on the rush.
Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated published a two-round projection on Wednesday that has Detroit holding the No. 21 overall pick and taking Alabama edge rusher Devan Thompkins with it. Manzano wrote that the USC transfer has made the most of the extra attention he’s gotten from playing next to Yhonzae Pierre at Alabama. The mock draft suggests the Lions will wait until the second round to address the secondary, selecting Ohio State safety Jaylen McClain at No. 52 overall.
This article was created by aggregating Detroit Lions news using Artificial Intelligence.
