Brian Branch of the Detroit Lions earns three times his current salary for the 2026 NFL season
With Aaron Glenn departing this offseason to become the head coach of the New York Jets, the Detroit Lions filled their defensive coordinator vacancy by promoting linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard.
One of Sheppard’s stated goals since taking the job on January 30 is to “find that fine balance in guys that can play the run and the pass and just make sure they gel with who we want to be, because that supersedes everything.”
Lions safety Brian Branch appears to meet these criteria. In his second NFL season, Branch led Detroit with 79 solo tackles and limited opposing quarterbacks to a 73.7 passing-efficiency rating when targeting receivers he covered in 2024. Branch recorded more interceptions (four) than touchdowns allowed (three).
But Sheppard believes Branch can still improve, even after the former Alabama standout received his first Pro Bowl selection.
“Brian Branch is only going into his third year,” Sheppard said. “That’s a young player. I know we see this dynamic athlete, but there’s so much more potential from the neck up with that player.”
Branch’s strong 2024 season was enough to earn him a raise without any need for negotiations with the Lions.
When the Pro Bowl Games rosters were revealed on January 2, Branch joined fellow Alabama alum Xavier McKinney of the Green Bay Packers and Budda Baker of the Arizona Cardinals as one of the NFL safeties.
Thanks to the NFL’s proven performance escalator program, Branch is set to receive a raise of at least $3.6 million for the 2026 season due to his Pro Bowl selection (before injury and Super Bowl replacements).
The escalator was created to reward second-round or later draft picks who outperform their rookie contracts.
Each drafted player signs a four-year contract for a fixed amount determined by the league’s collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association. First-round contracts also include a team option for a fifth season.
Rookie contracts cannot be renegotiated, no matter how well a player performs. However, through the PPE program, a second-round pick who performs at an all-star level like Branch doesn’t have to wait until the end of his rookie deal to get rewarded.
A player named to the original Pro Bowl roster in his first three seasons will have his salary for the fourth season increased to the value of the second-round restricted free agent tender.
The exact figure for 2026 is unknown, but the second-round restricted free agent tender for 2025 is projected to be $5.351 million, according to overthecap.com.
That amount will rise in 2026, representing a significant jump from Branch’s original contract, which slated him to earn $1.744 million in the final season of his four-year, $8.022 million deal.
Branch could earn even more, but that would require contract negotiations with the Lions. A drafted player is eligible for a contract extension after three seasons. Detroit will have that option with Branch next offseason, but he has already more than tripled his 2026 salary.