Last weekend, the Detroit Lions announced that third-year tight end Sam LaPorta was placed on injured reserve due to a back injury. The standout pass catcher didn’t practice at all leading up to their Week 11 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, setting the stage for the IR stint.
Lions fans were relieved to know that it wasn’t a season-ending IR stint at the time, as it means he would miss at least four games, which would set LaPorta up to return sometime next month. However, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell confirmed on Friday that the chances of LaPorta returning this season are “very, very slim” after getting surgery on his back, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Whenever you hear about an athlete getting back surgery, that’s never good, and you hope for a quick recovery. That said, with LaPorta done for the year, the Lions will have to lean on Brock Wright, Ross Dwelley, and Anthony Firkser off the practice squad, which is not ideal.
All of those guys have limitations and aren’t a receiving threat like LaPorta. Therefore, the Lions should also look towards free agency and potentially other teams’ practice squads to add more competition and depth to the TE spot.
Click for analysis on each name:
1. Gerald Everett
Since Wright, Dwelley, and Firkser are more known for their blocking prowess, the Lions need to get a receiving threat at TE. Who better than former Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears tight end Gerald Everett?
The 31-year-old tight end is surprisingly still unsigned after the Bears released him earlier this year. Everett was not great in his only year in Chicago, but that could’ve been more of an indictment on the Bears’ offensive scheme last season.
The veteran tight end had only eight receptions (13 targets) for 36 yards in 17 games. That is a sharp decline from his final year with the Chargers in 2023 – 51 receptions (70 targets) for 411 yards and three TDs.
If you take away last year’s disaster, Everett recorded five consecutive seasons with at least 400 receiving yards. If I were Lions GM Brad Holmes, I would reach out to see if you can bring Everett in for a workout.
2. Jody Fortson
At this stage of the season, the free agent landscape is not ripe with talent, especially at tight end. However, if the Lions are looking to take a flier on someone for a practice squad spot, why not consider Jody Fortson?
The 29-year-old tight end has battled through injuries and rehab over the last few years, but is finally healthy. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported at the end of last month that the ex-Kansas City Chiefs tight end has been fully cleared after tearing his ACL and meniscus last year, and is ready to sign with a new team.
The last time we saw Fortson play in a regular-season game was with the Chiefs in 2024. He appeared in three games, totaling one catch for five yards. Fortson doesn’t have a ton of NFL regular-season experience under his belt (22 games across three seasons), but at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, he’s worth a look.
The former Valdosta State star can play special teams, which will be key for someone on the taxi squad as a potential TE3, while also contributing sporadically on offense. During the 2022 season, in which Fortson appeared in 13 games, he had nine receptions (13 targets) for 108 yards and two TDs.
He also had a 64.7 receiving and 73.9 run-blocking grades on PFF (h/t Dolphins Wire), which aren’t shabby for a depth tight end. In his first year with the Chiefs in 2021, Fortson had an 85.8 run-blocking grade.
Given Brock Wright’s well-documented blocking woes, Fortson wouldn’t be a bad addition to the practice squad.
3. Kenny Yeboah
Another potential tight end that the Lions could consider is a familiar face, Kenny Yeboah. The team just parted ways with the veteran pass catcher earlier this month with an injury settlement.
The Lions signed the 27-year-old Yeboah to a one-year deal this offseason in hopes that he would compete for a spot on the 53-man roster. However, that didn't come to fruition as he was placed on injured reserve in the preseason, ending that dream.
That said, even though his tenure was marred by injury, Yeboah is somewhat familiar with the Lions' system and could give them another option on the practice squad. We know the veteran tight end can play special teams, which he did with the New York Jets (610 snaps), and is an okay run blocker (48.4 grade on Pro Football Focus).
He also has some offensive upside as a pass catcher, which hasn't been seen in the NFL, but was seen briefly in his last year of college football at Ole Miss. Again, since Yeboah would be a practice squad addition, Detroit would have nothing to lose by bringing him back.