Brian Branch has 100 million new reasons to be excited about year three with Lions

The 2025 NFL season kicks off in a week, and Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch recently received some great news. The Pro Bowl safety, who quickly established himself as a star in the league, just watched his peer Kyle Hamilton receive a record contract. On Wednesday, the Baltimore Ravens signed Hamilton to a four-year extension worth $100.4 million, making him the highest-paid safety in NFL history.

Why is that great news for Branch? Well, once he gets through this season with the Lions, he’ll officially be eligible for an extension. If his third season is anything like his first two years, his eventual extension will look a lot like Hamilton’s, and has a chance to be even more.

Kyle Hamilton’s contract is a sign of what’s to come for Brian Branch

Hamilton is widely regarded as the best safety in the NFL, but Branch is the guy who’s considered to be right behind him. Entering the league one season after Hamilton, Branch has the chance this year to close the gap and possibly claim the throne of the best safety in the league.

Regardless of if he jumps Hamilton or not in rankings, Branch will likely leap him in terms of contract value. Elite players make sure to always reset the market for their positions, so the numbers can keep going up. That means if Branch puts together another good season, $100 million would be the starting number for any deal he negotiates.

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Through two seasons, Branch has recorded 183 tackles, 15 for a loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, 29 pass deflections, and seven interceptions — one that he returned for a touchdown. That production is the reason he’s considered a top-two safety in the NFL.

The Lions already have the second highest-paid safety in Kerby Joseph, and it’ll be interesting to see if that affects Branch’s negotiations in any way. It shouldn’t, because the two are an elite duo that both deserve to be at the top of the market. Joseph is already there, and Branch could join him next offseason when he’s officially eligible for an extension.