Monday, April 27. NFL draft weekend is over. Jeff is back home and on the Detroit Lions Podcast he opened the Patreon Slack for a tight Q&A window. The big topic hit fast. The Detroit Lions did not draft a safety. That choice frames the early roster story. Why Detroit Passed on a Safety Jeff reread the team’s post-draft messaging on the safeties. The line was clear. It did not intentionally skip the position. It just did not line up on the board. A few targets went right before Detroit picked. The class did not look deep. You had to strike right. That was the gist. He also noted what common sense suggests. In a defense where safeties trigger so much on the back end, a pressing need would have sparked action. If they truly felt exposed, they would have moved to get one. The decision points to internal confidence. Branch and Kirby Timelines Shape the Plan That confidence centers on Brian Branch and Kirby Joseph. The recovery updates trend positive. Branch’s Achilles timeline sits between Halloween and Thanksgiving. November feels right. There is a possible Europe trip in that window. Nothing official yet. Kirby’s path is less defined publicly, but the tone remains optimistic. Depth will matter until they are back. The room includes Christian Isian, Avante Max, and Thomas Harper. It is not a star trio, but it is capable support. Last year told the story. When the starting secondary stayed intact, the defense played like a top-10, even top-eight unit. When injuries gutted the group, the numbers cratered to the 30-32 range by various metrics. Health flips outcomes. Post-Draft Q&A and a UDFA QB Note The Detroit Lions Podcast Slack jumped in with strong questions during a 90-minute window. The safety choice led, but roster churn always runs deep right after the NFL draft. One early undrafted note popped: quarterback Luke Altmire. Jeff had flagged him as a stylistic fit. Detroit agreed enough to bring him in as a UDFA. It is a sensible look as the team resets its depth chart post-draft. The YouTube archive has the weekend coverage that Chris and Jeff produced. Today’s session kept the focus tight. No panic. No victory lap. Just what the board gave them and what the rehab timelines allow. If Branch and Kirby land on schedule, Detroit’s back end regains its edge. If not, the veteran spackle holds the line until the stars return. #detroitlions #lions #detroitlionspodcast #nfldraftweekend #udfaclass #lukealtmeyer #kerbyjoseph #brianbranch #erickhunter #kendricklaw #2026nfldraft #dontaycorleone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices