The Detroit Lions have several areas of the roster that need to be addressed this offseason, but on locker room cleanout day, tight end Sam LaPorta spoke to the media for the first time since his back injury and provided a positive timeline for his return.
According to Brad Galli of WXYZDetroit, LaPorta expects to be running by OTAs and have pads on when training camp rolls around. When he first got hurt in Week 10 against the Washington Commanders, LaPorta believed he would be back in 2-3 weeks, but the pain in his back only increased in the days following the contest.
"I was hoping to get back in that 2-3-week range, not even going on IR," LaPorta said. "And then, in the days following the Commanders game, I was in a lot of pain, I was gimpy, I was walking like an 80-year-old man. I felt like surgery was the best route and the team thought that too."
He's six weeks removed from back surgery, but his comments on Monday should give fans some confidence around him and the tight end room going into 2026.
Sam LaPorta Gives First Outlook on Lions Return for 2026
With his back injury, there was cause for concern about what LaPorta's future would hold, but it seems like he'll be ready to roll when the Lions get back in the building. It's understandable why LaPorta needed surgery, as he said that one of his vertebrae discs “fully herniated.” He felt some "numbness" and "tingling" after the injury, which is scary to think about.
The fact that he feels good enough to suit up in May is fantastic and will give the Lions their star tight end when the season begins.
Before going down, LaPorta was a difference-maker and provided Detroit with consistency. In nine games, he logged 40 catches for 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, LaPorta had an 82 overall grade (3rd among 36 graded tight ends) and an 83.2 receiving grade (4th among 36 graded tight ends).
He's a weapon that is tough to replace in the Lions offense, which was clear in his absence. Brock Wright, Anthony Firkser, Shane Zylstra, and Ross Dwelley combined for 27 catches with 188 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2025, and that's nowhere near good enough.
Having the Iowa product healthy and ready to contribute once offseason activities begin in May will be huge for the season's outlook. Back injuries tend to be tricky, but it's great news that LaPorta is feeling well at this stage of his recovery. And that should give fans a sigh of relief when it comes to the tight end room.