The Detroit Lions activated Brian Branch from injured reserve and Cade Mays from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday, Oct. 24, clearing the way for both players to make their season debut Sunday, Oct. 25, against the Green Bay Packers.
Branch has not played since he tore the Achilles tendon in his right leg in a win over the Dallas Cowboys last Dec. 4. Mays broke his right wrist in training camp.
Both players returned to practice Oct. 7, and Lions coach Dan Campbell indicated this week both players are in line for big roles Sunday when the Lions return from the bye to play their first division game of the season.
“We got a pretty good idea with [Branch],” Campbell said Friday, Oct. 23. “We're going to let him go here and we'll be smart, but he's ready to play.”
With Mays, Campbell said in a radio interview this week the Lions want to “just rip this Band-Aid off” and let him start at center.
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Juice Scruggs has played well in a fill-in starting role at center for the Lions the first five weeks, while defensively the Lions have used four different starting safeties this year.
Veteran Chuck Clark and rookie Keith Abney (in nickel packages) are still expected to have roles at safety with Branch in the lineup.
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Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions activate Brian Branch, Cade Mays for Packers game