The Detroit Lions have plenty of things to figure out this offseason, and with Drew Petzing’s hire as offensive coordinator, they may be focused on the tight end position.
Sam LaPorta was having a solid year, grabbing 40 passes for 489 yards and three touchdowns before suffering a season-ending back injury in November. While Detroit patched things together with a combination of Brock Wright, Anthony Firkser, Ross Dwelley, and Giovanni Ricci, there was a clear drop-off at the position when LaPorta went down, creating a need heading into next season.
The heavy lifting may not take place until free agency and the draft, but the Lions may have received a lifeline on Monday. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Jacksonville Jaguars right end Jordan Akins is now a free agent after spending this season on their practice squad and could be a solid answer to help Detroit boost their tight end depth ahead of next season.
Jordan Akins Could Be First Step to Solving Lions’ TE Problem
A former third-round pick by the Houston Texans, Akins has seen better days. The 33-year-old didn’t play in an NFL game this season, and his last full campaign had modest success, grabbing 40 passes for 390 yards and two touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns. The Central Florida product was a solid contributor in his five seasons with the Texans, however, where he caught 151 passes for 1,755 yards and eight touchdowns.
Those aren’t massive numbers, and the Lions would be crazy if they expected Akins to fill a starting role for a prolonged period of time. But with LaPorta’s injury situation, adding insurance wouldn’t be the worst idea.
The Lions’ reserve tight ends combined for 27 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns last season and were further decimated when Zylstra suffered a severe ankle injury against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. Dwelley also signed with the San Francisco 49ers after being released late in the year, and the Lions currently have Wright and Firkser on the depth chart as Zylstra approaches free agency.
Detroit will have to do more to address the position than just sign a player that spent 2025 on a practice squad. But signing Akins would be a good start to solve the problem and at least build some competition going into the offseason program. It’s an opportunity Detroit should consider, even with LaPorta expected to be ready for the start of next season, and one that could help the Lions avoid an issue they faced during last year’s disappointing campaign.