One of the biggest questions for the Detroit Lions entering the 2026 season was the injury status of tight end Sam LaPorta. LaPorta had been out since August 19 with a hip injury. However, he returned to practice on September 8, and when the Lions released their first injury report on September 9, it did not include LaPorta.
LaPorta should not only be ready to play in Week 1, but he will also be fully healthy, with no limitations. This could not only impact his play in Week 1, but also the Lions’ ability to get a contract done with LaPorta before the season.
Detroit Lions Get Positive Injury News from Sam LaPorta
This is going to be a crucial season for the fourth-year tight end. He hit the ground running and looked like one of the best tight ends in the NFL during his rookie season. He exploded for 889 yards.
In his second season, he was not quite as efficient. He had just 60 receptions for 726 yards. Things looked to be bouncing back in his third year. He had a career-high 54.3 yards per game. However, a back injury ended his season before he was able to put up career-high numbers.
Having two years where his stats declined and ending his last year with an injury is not the best way to maximize value with a contract extension.
LaPorta was looking to prove his health and value in the offseason, but suffered a hip injury and missed close to a month. The good news is that it does not appear to be impacting his status this season.
Will the Lions sign him, knowing that he has a big year in him, or will they wait to see if he can prove he is healthy?
Lions Have Tough Contract Decision With Sam LaPorta
One of the things making the negotiations hard is also how much to give LaPorta. Kyle Pitts signed for $17.76M per year this offseason, and LaPorta is certain to clear that. The question is more about Trey McBride at $19M per year and George Kittle at $19.1M.
There is not much wiggle room between clearing Pitts by a notable margin and being below those two. This adds to the question of paying a player who was injured and not as productive in recent years as the highest-paid player at his position.
More than that, the rival Green Bay Packers have a tough decision to make with Tucker Kraft. Kraft is in the same spot as LaPorta, although his production has increased every year. Still, he is coming off of an ACL injury and is looking to be the league’s highest-paid tight end.
So, the Lions have to walk a tight line of not overpaying LaPorta more than Kraft. However, LaPorta will not want to come in under Kraft. Whether the Lions get a deal done before Week 1 will be a tough question. They also might not get one done during the season. LaPorta’s play will determine that.
Lions Get Encouraging Sam LaPorta News Before Week 1