The Detroit Lions entered the offseason with some crucial financial decisions to make. Multiple players were up for big-time contract extensions, and now that they've gotten Jack Campbell out of the way, giving him a four-year, $81 million deal, they can proceed with their other stars.
General manager Brad Holmes still needs to pay Brian Branch, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta. Both of those deals should be done before the start of the season, but with Gibbs likely resetting the market and not much of a rush with Branch because of his Achilles injury, LaPorta might be next in line.
The talented tight end is working his way back from a season-ending back injury. As such, it might be the perfect timing to get him at a slightly lower price than they may have initially thought, especially ahead of a potential career-best season.
Lions need to extend Sam LaPorta before the price goes up
From a football perspective, there's absolutely no reason to doubt giving LaPorta an extension. Also, with the new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, who helped Trey McBride become one of the deadliest pass-catching tight ends in the game, he could be in for a breakout year. That said, back injuries are tricky, so the Lions might want to watch him move in OTAs before signing him.
Still, if he's healthy enough, the Lions could be looking at another 1,000-yard pass catcher, and waiting until the season to put pen to paper may backfire tremendously. As things stand now, he can probably be signed to a four-year deal worth around $16 million per season, but it wouldn't be shocking to see that number reach $20 million a year if he does well in 2026.
LaPorta has proven that he can be a dangerous weapon for Jared Goff. Despite sharing the field with stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, he's still hauled in 186 receptions on 252 targets for 2,104 yards and 20 touchdowns in 42 games, averaging 11.3 yards per catch.
The Lions are trusting a tight end guru to fix their offense after an underwhelming season under John Morton, and even with Isaac TeSlaa also looking for a bigger role after a quiet rookie season, this team will be wise to get LaPorta involved in the passing game early and often. They already crossed one of their extensions off their list, so it's time to get another star locked in before the price goes up.
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