Sam LaPorta’s 2023 rookie season was a party. Not only did he break out as a quality NFL tight end, but the Detroit Lions also made a trip to the NFC Championship Game. While the team was more productive in the regular season with a 15-2 record in 2024, their playoff push wasn’t nearly as impressive.
Similarly, LaPorta’s sophomore season saw a slump where it mattered, his targets and overall production. He addressed it head-on this week.
Sam LaPorta Responds to Production Complaints
Speaking to reporters in a May 22 press conference via NFL Media, LaPorta defended himself against critics, using the “too many mouths to feed” argument.
“I felt like I was still a very polished receiver in the pass game,” he said. “I kept hearing comments maybe this offseason like, ‘Why didn’t you get the ball as much?’ It’s like, ‘Dude, we scored the most points out of any team in the NFL in the last five years. Like, everybody deserves the ball.’ And I agree, I think I deserve the ball still, but I was very pleased with how I blocked last year in the run game,” he said.
He went on to explain how he could continue to improve.
“Looking ahead this year, I think just continue to polish things off in the run game, the pass game,” he said. “Start to see the game from the quarterback’s perspective — what Jared [Goff] needs exactly — and maybe not just knowing what I’m doing on the field, but what other people are doing as well. Just seeing the big picture.”
LaPorta was targeted 120 times in 2023 and just 83 times in 2024. His receiving yardage and touchdown totals also saw a dip.
Exploring Who Could Be the Culprit of LaPorta’s Target Decline
While some will point the finger at LaPorta and others will look at Goff and other factors, the issue boils down to who was around the tight end. Tight ends are not a position that is usually tasked with being the go-to receiver of any offense. Teams have wide receivers for that.
“Dude we scored the most points out of any team in the NFL in the last 5 years, everybody deserves the ball!”
Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta on not being as involved in the offense last season 👀 pic.twitter.com/8TKL15WW8M
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports)
In 2023, the Lions counted LaPorta as their second-most productive pass catcher in terms of receiving yards, with Amon-Ra St. Brown at the top. In 2024, LaPorta slipped 163 yards. However, the Lions had two 1000-yard receivers in 2024 instead of just one in 2023, per ESPN analytics.
LaPorta ranked third on the team in terms of receiving yards in 2024 behind Jameson Williams, who snuck in as a 1,000-yard receiver, backing the tight end’s argument.
It appears that Williams, in large part, can be blamed for soaking up targets, but it also boils down to LaPorta’s place in the offensive scheme as a tight end.
Will LaPorta become a larger part of the receiving game in 2025?
