Ever since the Detroit Lions hired Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator, the talk has revolved around his plans for Sam LaPorta. Petzing was instrumental in Trey McBride's development with the Arizona Cardinals, so that makes perfect sense.
McBride has established himself as one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the game. And given LaPorta's YAC skills and reliable hands, it's safe to speculate that he can be used in a similar fashion in Detroit.
Nevertheless, even if that's the case, the fans should temper their expectations about the former Iowa star. If anything, there are more reasons to believe he'll have a modest season than to think otherwise.
Sam LaPorta might not live up to the hype in 2026
For starters, LaPorta is returning from a back injury. He's reportedly made great progress, but those ailments might linger and limit his mobility and explosiveness. That's another factor to consider when giving him a contract extension.
Second, he's no Trey McBride. Don't get me wrong, he's most definitely one of the 10 best pass-catching tight ends, but McBride has a legitimate case to be 1A or 1B right now. Expecting that type of production from someone else might be unrealistic and unfair.
Lastly, the Cardinals had to rely on McBride that much because they didn't have much else. Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn't looked the part more often than not, and he was the only reliable source of offense and production in the desert.
That won't be the case in Detroit. Petzing will now have so many weapons to work with and get creative with, and he should be able to scheme plays for this team's plethora of playmakers. Ultimately, someone has to be the odd man out.
Amon-Ra St. Brown will continue to be this team's go-to guy for as long as he's out there and healthy. Jameson Williams isn't necessarily the most consistent guy, but he's a one-play drive waiting to happen on every dropback, so he should also be a big part of their plans. Lastly, Isaac TeSlaa should be in for a much bigger role after showing flashes as a rookie.
Of course, that doesn't mean LaPorta won't have a featured role or be a crucial contributor to Jared Goff's passing game. Still, it might be tough for him to top 800 receiving yards or score double-digit touchdowns again. There are just way too many mouths to feed in Detroit, and while that's a great problem to have, someone will have to make sacrifices.
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