Detroit Lions injuries, when Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph will be back
Dr. David Chao joins to talk about the Detroit Lions’ injury problems and the long-term outlook for Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta.
Amik Robertson is going to the Washington Commanders.
Robertson, one of the Detroit Lions’ top unrestricted free agents, agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the Washington Commanders shortly after the start of the 2026 NFL free agency negotiating period Monday, March 9, a person with knowledge of the deal told the Free Press on condition of anonymity, because deal cannot become official until Wednesday at the start of the new league year.
NFL Network first reported the news.
The only Lions defensive back to play in all 35 games, including the playoffs, over the past two seasons, Robertson’s departure is a blow to a secondary that enters the new league year with off-field and injury concerns.
Third-year cornerback Terrion Arnold is being investigated by Florida police for his connection to a kidnapping and robbery plot. Arnold has denied involvement in the case through his attorney and has not been charged with a crime.
Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph also are returning from season-ending injuries. Branch tore his Achilles tendon in December and could miss the start of the 2026 season. Joseph’s long-term future is in doubt because of a knee injury.
Robertson, 27, started 10 games for the Lions last season and has experience at both the slot and outside cornerback positions. He played as the Lions’ primary slot corner in 2024, but moved outside late in the season after Carlton Davis III broke his jaw.
Last year, Robertson forced two fumbles and had one interception while again playing both positions. He allowed a career-high eight touchdown passes and had a passer rating against of 116.5 according to the NFL’s Next Gen stats, his lowest mark since his first two years in the league.
The Lions return all four of their projected starting defensive backs for 2026 in Branch, Joseph, Arnold and D.J. Reed, and have several young backups who could compete for playing time.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a second-round pick out of Missouri in 2024, could compete for slot reps next season and Thomas Harper made nine fill-in starts at safety last year.
The Lions finished 20th in the NFL against the pass last season and surrendered 82 pass plays of 17 or more yards. Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said at the NFL combine in late February that cutting down on the explosive plays will be a point of emphasis in 2026.
“It’s no finger pointing,” Sheppard said. “It starts with me and how can I improve and I think when not only the players but the staff see that, it’s like an all-in thing. Let’s find solutions. Now, we have the chart and we understand, this could have been coached better, this is poor execution, this is gross awareness of the situation, and this player just got beat on this play. And let’s take the band-aid off, let’s talk about it and then let’s get that solution so we can line up next season and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The Lions also lost starting linebacker Alex Anzalone to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
