The Detroit Lions have been active this offseason as they look to return to their physical roots. But one position that still has plenty of questions is tight end.
Sam LaPorta is locked into the starting role after missing the second half of last season with a back injury. But things get interesting behind him on the depth chart, especially when it comes to reserve Brock Wright.
Wright will enter the offseason program as the No. 2 tight end, but he has a loose grip thanks to the Lions' addition of Tyler Conklin. While Conklin isn’t an insurmountable challenger, he brings the pass-catching ability that Wright has yet to show during his career, making Wright’s exit more probable as the first wave of free agency concludes.
Lions’ Tyler Conklin Addition Could End Brock Wright’s Time in Detroit
One look at the Lions’ depth chart and you can see that things haven’t been going well for Wright this offseason. While he’s currently second on the depth chart behind LaPorta, he hasn’t proven to be an adequate replacement, catching 70 passes for 632 yards and 11 touchdowns over his five seasons in Detroit.
With subpar pass-blocking (53.2) and run-blocking (55.5) grades from Pro Football Focus, Wright shouldn’t be locked into a roster spot this fall. That led the Lions to pursue free agency to add competition and ultimately sign Conklin.
Conklin will be entering his age-31 season, but he’s shown more pass-catching ability than Wright has during his career, with 270 catches for 2,645 yards and 11 touchdowns. While only seven of those receptions came in last year’s campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers, and his career-high run blocking grade of 56.1 came with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, he’s one of several tight ends who should push Wright this summer.
Zach Horton and Gordon Thomas have an uphill battle to unseat Wright. But there’s still a chance more competition could be coming in the draft. With LaPorta looking for a new contract that Spotrac estimates at $17 million per season, that could lead to a surprising pick early, such as Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, which could push Wright down the depth chart. Even if the Lions don’t take a tight end early, they could add one on Day 3, creating more competition and making Wright earn his spot on the roster.
This puts Wright in a tough spot. Entering the final year of his contract, nothing is holding the Lions back from cutting him if he underperforms. There’s also a good chance Conklin could win the TE2 job thanks to his pass-catching ability. But if a rookie or an incumbent beats out Wright, he could be on his way out of Detroit and looking for a new job at some point in 2026.