Terrion Arnold has seen Brian Branch play a lot of football, a little safety. So has Jameson Williams, dating back to their days at Alabama. Neither one hesitated when asked what makes Branch suited to roam the deep part of the defense. Their answers were just vastly different.
"His football IQ," said Arnold.
"He goes so hard," said Williams.
Branch's debut as a safety for the Lions was eventful. He had three passes defended, but also allowed catches on six of eight targets in coverage, per Pro Football Focus. He had seven tackles including a typically loud tackle for loss and a crucial stop at the goal line, but also missed three tackles, one of which led to an explosive play for the Rams.
Not all of his snaps came at safety -- he still mixed in at nickel -- but Branch enjoyed having the freedom to fly around the field.
"I like it better, I feel like it gives me a chance to really go make more plays on the ball on the deep side of the field," Branch said Thursday. "I've just gotta get used to tackling in open space. I feel like that's one of my things I need to work on back there. But overall, shoot, I like it."
Along with co-captain Alex Anzalone, Branch was one of two players who played every defensive snap in the Lions' season-opening win over the Rams. That was part of the point in shifting him to safety. Branch, who averaged about three-quarters of the snaps last season, admitted with an "oof " that he tired in the third quarter before getting his wind back later in the game.
"I've gotta get used to that, too," he said. "Playing all those snaps is no joke."
Branch said he's been running everywhere at practice this week to condition himself for the heavier workload. As for the missed tackles, he told Dan Campbell as soon as they walked into the locker room after the game last Sunday that they won't happen again. Branch said he was "just too antsy on those tackles" and ditched his fundamentals. "Lesson learned, though."
Next up, Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. In some ways, it will feel like playing Matthew Stafford and the Rams all over again. The Bucs' new OC, Liam Coen, was formerly the Rams' OC under Sean McVay. There will be opportunities for the Lions' defensive backs to make plays -- and for Branch to make good on the interception he dropped last week.
"I feel like the Bucs and the Rams offense, pretty much, are identical," said Branch. "Scheme wise, they're identical. And Baker's gonna throw it. Shoot, every last one of us is going to get a chance to get our hands on the ball. We just gotta capitalize off of it."
Mayfield, a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year last season, was lights out last week. He went 24-of-30 and threw four touchdowns in the Bucs' rout of the Commanders. Arnold, fresh off watching film of Mayfield on Thursday, said, "He's a risk-taker."
"He’s one of those guys, he even said in an interview, if he has Mike Evans backside one-on-one, no double team, he’s throwing the ball. So he has faith in his guys, and I’m looking forward to playing against him," said Arnold.
The rookie cornerback has been bugging Branch all week for not picking an errant pass over the middle that hit him in the hands last Sunday: "Like, ‘We gotta get on the JUGS machine about that interception! Man, you gotta make them plays!’ And he will. He’s a playmaker." As it turns out, Branch wasn't even supposed to be in coverage on the play. He was supposed to be blitzing, said Anzalone.
("He’s honestly one of the luckiest players I’ve ever been around," Anzalone said with a grin.)
These are the pitfalls of playing a new position, while also still playing your old one. Branch will "grow into the role," said Anzalone, especially in terms of being more vocal. His instincts rarely lead him astray. Often times, said Arnold, Branch makes a play "because he can feel the play."
"I knew he could play safety because he got reps at it (at Alabama), but just knowing that he’s behind me, I got confidence in him," Arnold said. "Even plays that you can’t really see on TV, we’re communicating and I know what he’s going to do just based on being around him and even having a friendship off the field."
Branch, 22, caught Mayfield's eye when the Lions knocked the Bucs out of the playoffs last season. He had missed the first meeting between the two teams with an injury, and Mayfield admitted Branch was even better than he realized on tape, exceedingly smart "for a young guy ... and obviously very talented."
Branch won't catch Mayfield off-guard this time. Then again, Mayfield hasn't yet seen him play safety.
"It's not a lot of people who really go harder than him," said Williams. "He just wants it. He's real hungry. I love that about him. No matter where he's at, no matter how good people talk about him, he's still hungry. He loves the game."