Lions, TE Sam LaPorta Break Off Negotiations

Lions GM Brad Holmes repeatedly struck gold during his first few drafts atop the Detroit front office, landing players like Penei Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, Kerby Joseph, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, and LaPorta. All of the players on that list save for the last two have received lucrative new deals from Detroit, which has made for something of a top-heavy roster. Nonetheless, extensions for LaPorta and Branch have remained on Holmes’ agenda.

It is unclear how far apart Holmes and LaPorta’s camp were when they decided to table their discussions. The TE market is presently topped by George Kittle’s $19.1MM average annual value and Kyle Pitts’ $36MM in full guarantees. The Packers’ Tucker Kraft recently pulled down a four-year, $75MM extension featuring $26.5MM guaranteed at signing. 

Kraft is represented by Jack Bechta, who also represents LaPorta. Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network, recognizing Holmes’ modus operandi, observes that the Lions have not hit a wall in negotiations with a top in-house talent in some time. Rogers believes today’s report represents Bechta’s attempt to let the public know the Lions are not currently willing to pay LaPorta what he is worth.

LaPorta, a 2023 second-rounder who entered the league in the same year as Gibbs, Campbell, and Branch, earned Pro Bowl acclaim as a rookie, tallying 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. Those numbers remain his career-high marks, as his second season was not quite as prolific and he missed the final eight games of the 2025 slate due to a herniated disc.

A hip injury sustained in training camp this summer put LaPorta’s availability for the start of the current season in doubt. He overcame that ailment and has enjoyed a full workload in all three of the Lions’ games in 2026, posting 14 catches for 144 yards and a score while continuing to prove his worth as a blocker.

If Detroit and LaPorta do not reopen negotiations during the season, the club will have the franchise tag or transition tag at its disposal to keep the Iowa product off the open market. The transition tag carries a projected value of $14.6MM, and the franchise tag is projected to be worth roughly $17.5MM.