For the second straight season, the Detroit Lions are being hammered by injuries—particularly on defense. They managed to weather a similar storm a year ago, but during the 2025 campaign, Kelvin Sheppard’s unit is finding it increasingly difficult to stay afloat.

Nowhere has the damage been felt more than in the secondary. Even before Week 1, the Lions had already lost Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and rookie safety Dan Jackson to Injured Reserve. Rising corner Terrion Arnold was added to that list earlier this week. Veteran safety Kerby Joseph hasn’t taken the field since Week 6, and during Thursday night’s clash with the Cowboys, Thomas Harper exited early with a concussion. As if that wasn’t enough, the team learned Friday that Brian Branch suffered a torn Achilles.

Justin Simmons stands out as Detroit’s most logical response

Branch’s season-ending injury leaves Detroit with a significant void on the back end of the defense. He was the versatile stabilizer who held the secondary together; removing him feels like pulling the final thread from an already fraying seam.

That puts general manager Brad Holmes in a tough spot. At this point in the season, impact players on the open market are scarce. But one option makes too much sense to ignore: veteran safety Justin Simmons.

It’s puzzling that Simmons is still without a team. The nine-year pro played well last season in Atlanta, and just two years ago he earned his fourth Second-Team All-Pro nod with Denver. He may not quite be the dynamic, do-it-all defender Branch has become, but Simmons remains capable of filling multiple roles—ranging from deep safety to slot coverage to work near the line of scrimmage.

Relying on a 32-year-old free agent to immediately bolster a playoff-caliber defense isn’t ideal, but his experience gives him a higher floor than anyone else currently available.

Detroit doesn’t have much margin for error as it battles for postseason position. Adding Simmons likely wouldn’t require a major financial commitment, and it could provide just enough stability for the defense while the Lions’ offense tries to push them into the playoffs.