The Detroit Lions had their fair share of offensive issues in their 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11. While the absence of starting tight end Sam LaPorta was not the sole difference in the outcome of the game, there is no doubt that the drop in production with the former Iowa Hawkeyes standout sidelined was a factor in the loss.
With LaPorta on the IR, Detroit was forced to turn to Brock Wright as the team's top option at the tight end position. After Wright's performance on Sunday night in Philadelphia, Detroit may need to examine all its options at the position over the next three weeks, at least, as LaPorta won't be eligible to return from the IR until mid-December.
Lions' Brock Wright Looks Unplayable After Terrible SNF Performance
While Pro Football Focus grades should never be considered the end-all be-all when it comes to evaluating players or teams, they are a useful tool that should be taken into account, as advanced statistics only add further depth to the eye test. Unfortunately for Wright, the numbers were anything but positive as he registered the fifth-worst Pro Football Focus rating of any Lions offensive player with a grade of 51.2.
Wright was targeted by Detroit's All-Pro QB Jared Goff on seven occasions during the loss, with the former Notre Dame standout only managing to reel in two of those passes for receptions. In the end, the tight end finished Week 11 with a pair of catches for 8 total yards. To put it plainly, that isn't good enough, and Wright should know that better than anyone.
With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror and the free agent market for tight ends looking rather thin, Dan Campbell could be forced to look to the practice squad. The next best replacement option on the roster, Shane Zylstra, has yet to have his 21-day practice window opened after suffering a serious ankle injury in September that left him on the IR.
If the Lions do look to elevate a tight end from their practice squad in Week 12, it's possible fans could see Anthony Frisker suit up for Detroit. The former Harvard man has made 78 appearances in the NFL with 115 receptions on 153 targets for 1,207 yards and five touchdowns. It wouldn't be a perfect solution, but Wright isn't exactly giving the Lions' coaching staff much reason to have faith in his abilities to get the job done.