The Detroit Lions and star tight end Sam LaPorta have reportedly ended talks about a potential contract extension. That's disappointing, given how valuable he's always been to the offense and the outlook under Drew Petzing.
The Lions extended multiple stars this offseason, but after watching the likes of Kyle Pitts and Tucker Kraft get big-money deals, perhaps the team was hesitant to do the same with LaPorta, who was coming off a complicated back injury.
Nevertheless, as much as this could mean the end of his tenure in Michigan, head coach Dan Campbell won't sweat it. When asked about it, the Lions' boss shut down all concerns and moved on to the next question.
Dan Campbell doesn't sound too worried about Sam LaPorta's situation
"All that stuff, that's the last thing on my mind right now. ... Just because there's a report of that doesn't mean that's some big issue or big deal. I love LaPorta. We love LaPorta," Campbell said (h/t Richard Silva).
To be fair, Campbell has much more on his plate right now. Fixing the defense is, by every measure, a much more pressing issue than focusing on LaPorta's new deal. Of course, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be a priority.
Nevertheless, even if the Lions can't strike a deal with their playmaking tight end, they can always use the franchise tag and buy themselves some more time to get a deal done. Both parties have said all the right things about wanting to keep their marriage.
Granted, the Lions may also have to make some financial decisions. They also have to find money to pay Brian Branch at one point after breaking the bank to give Jameson Williams, Jack Campbell, and Jahmyr Gibbs new deals.
That said, LaPorta has been one of Jared Goff's most trusted targets. Through four weeks, he's up to 22 catches on 32 targets for 228 yards and two scores, averaging 57.0 yards per game and 10.4 yards per catch.
He has yet to take a big leap under Drew Petzing, the same offensive coordinator who turned Trey McBride into a machine in Arizona, but that's also by design—the Lions have far more weapons than his former Cardinals team.
For now, the Lions have bigger fish to fry and issues to focus on. Ironically, trading LaPorta could also help them address some of their defensive woes, and he would fetch significant value in any potential transaction.
But for as long as LaPorta keeps showing up to work with a great attitude, there's no reason to believe this will be a long-term headache. There's still plenty of time to work something out and put pen to paper.
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