Amid all the talk of running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta's potential extensions, it's easy to forget that safety Brian Branch is also in line for one.
Branch is still rehabbing from his torn Achilles injury suffered last December, but head coach Dan Campbell offered an encouraging update during his presser on Thursday, saying Branch "could" return for training camp.
Afterward, Campbell was asked about Branch entering a contract year and how much the organization takes recovery into account. Namely, for Branch's sake, to put him in the best position he can be when he does return.
"I think you always want to know that your guys, you know, that they are healthy and that they're -- this is truly healed. You're always gonna kinda wanna lean that way, knowing the investment that would go into that."
Based on what Campbell said, it appears the organization is understandably taking a wait-and-see approach before signing Branch to an extension. This isn't a new thing for the Lions as they waited until the end of October last season to extend star EDGE Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson missed most of the previous season with a broken leg.
Hutchinson didn't sign his extension until the Bye, seven games into the season. Branch will likely be waiting just as long as he tries to convince the Lions that he's healthy and worth that "investment." The team may also decide that Branch will have to be the odd man out, either because he earns that expensive contract or his health isn't where it should be.
Of course, football is unpredictable. The Lions could surprise us and get an extension done tomorrow, but it's better to assume an extension won't happen during the offseason and not until Branch has a few regular-season games under his belt.
Will the Lions take the same approach with LaPorta?
Branch isn't the only Lion with a looming extension nursing an injury. LaPorta is recovering from a back injury that ended his season prematurely. Unlike Branch, LaPorta is already back to practicing in a limited capacity at OTAs, with the expectation being that he'll be ready to go for training camp and Week 1.
Back injuries can still be problematic and even career-shortening. Even though LaPorta is practicing, it remains to be seen how much his back injury limits him over time, if at all.
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The Lions will almost certainly decide on LaPorta's future before Branch, given LaPorta's faster timetable, but they're unlikely to rush into it. To reiterate Campbell's words on Branch, the team wants to know that their players are healthy and "truly healed" from their injuries.
The financial gurus in the Lions' front office have their work cut out for them to make the Gibbs, Branch, and LaPorta extensions work, along with the one linebacker Jack Campbell recently signed. But it appears that they still have plenty of time to figure it out.
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