Lions’ Dan Campbell Delivers Crushing Update on Sam LaPor...

By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project member

The Detroit Lions' depth at tight end has quickly become the biggest storyline the Lions need to navigate during the most crucial part of the NFL season.

Detroit's Pro Bowl pass-catcher Sam LaPorta was placed on injured reserve on November 15 with a back injury that sidelined him after Week 11 versus the Philadelphia Eagles, guaranteeing that he would miss at least the next four games.

This had put the earliest realistic return at Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams, though things took a turn for the worse on Friday.

Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that LaPorta had surgery on his back, but added that the chances of him returning this year are "very, very slim."

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Campbell acknowledged after the Eagles game that the situation was concerning enough to require the IR move and said the team is "hopeful" but that they "really don’t know” whether LaPorta will return this season.

Multiple outlets covering Detroit’s locker room had reported similar uncertainty, yet there had been no confirmed public report from the organization verifying that LaPorta might seriously miss the remainder of the season, leading up to Friday's update.

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LaPorta was the Lions’ 2023 second-round pick (No. 34 overall) and made an immediate impact.

He posted 86 receptions on 120 targets for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, en route to his first Pro Bowl honor and second-team All-Pro selection.

He followed that up with 60 catches (83 targets) for 726 yards and seven TDs last season and had 40 catches (49 targets) for 489 yards and three scores this year before the injury.

With him off the field, the Lions have elevated Brock Wright and Ross Dwelley into larger roles and will need to lean more on wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams going forward.

Up next, the team has three consecutive home contests against the Giants, Cowboys, and Packers, followed by a road game at the Rams, back home versus the Steelers on December 21, and back-to-back contests at Minnesota and at Chicago.

With most of these teams being in the playoff hunt, Detroit will need every bit of depth it has.

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