Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has proven to be an ideal weapon for quarterback Jared Goff and Detroit’s offense when healthy, which explains why his recent practice injury has sparked concern among Lions fans, who have questioned his availability ahead of Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints.
Latest on Sam LaPorta’s Injury
LaPorta returned to the Lions’ practice field Tuesday after sitting out the previous two sessions. The tight end had not practiced since Aug. 17, when he took a hit to his hip during a scrimmage.
Head coach Dan Campbell had previously been cautious when discussing LaPorta’s availability for Week 1. While Campbell expressed optimism that the injury would not carry over into the regular season, he stopped short of guaranteeing that LaPorta would be ready for the opener.
“It’s a little aggravated; we feel good long-term about him,” Campbell said at that time. “We’re resting for a little bit here and letting it calm down.”
Those concerns appear to have eased following LaPorta’s return. According to The Detroit Free Press’s Dave Birkett, LaPorta participated in team drills without any apparent limitations, putting him on track to be available for Week 1 barring another setback.
LaPorta continued practicing as the week progressed and was seen catching passes from Goff during Friday’s scrimmage.
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The encouraging news is that there seems to be no connection between LaPorta’s current injury and his previous back issue. That makes his return particularly significant after he missed the final eight games of the 2025 season with a herniated disc.
LaPorta’s versatility makes him particularly valuable to Detroit, as he can stay attached to the offensive line, work from the slot, or move around the formation.
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Goff has already made it clear that LaPorta will remain a major part of Detroit’s offensive plans.
“Sam’s one of our best players, so we will feed him. But we have guys at every skill position on offense, so we’ve got a lot of variability on whom we can get the ball to and how we want to get it to him.”
LaPorta burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, recording 86 receptions for 889 yards. He recorded 60 receptions for 726 yards in 2024 before finishing last season with 40 catches for 489 yards. The tight end earned a 76.8 PFN TE Impact grade in 2025.
The Lions will hope LaPorta can put the injury behind him and remain healthy throughout the upcoming season.
