The Detroit Lions are hoping for one of the key components of their offense to be available when training camp rolls around.
Tight end Sam LaPorta suffered a season-ending back injury in Week 10 of last season, and has been working to get back into the mix during organized team activities and now mandatory minicamp. He had been working during the last two open practices of OTAs, albeit on a limited basis.
Now, with two days of workouts remaining before the team breaks for the summer, head coach Dan Campbell seems to be optimistic that LaPorta could be suited up and ready to go when the team takes the field for training camp
“We like where he’s going,” Campbell said Tuesday. “He’s trending the right way.”
In his first three seasons with the Lions, LaPorta has asserted himself as a security blanket for the offense and quarterback Jared Goff. He has 186 career catches, including a then-record for receptions by a rookie tight end in 2023 with 86.
Last season, he was limited to nine games and hauled in 40 passes for 489 yards and three touchdowns.
With LaPorta’s availability being limited throughout the offseason, the Lions have made some moves at the position to add depth. Veteran Tyler Conklin was signed to a one-year deal, and the team also brought in Thomas Gordon on a futures contract as well as signing undrafted free agent Miles Kitselman out of Tennessee.
While LaPorta has been sidelined, Brock Wright is next up on the depth chart. Wright has become a formidable second option in Detroit’s offense, both as a pass-catcher and a run-blocker in multi-tight end packages.
In addition to LaPorta, Campbell noted that offensive guard Ben Bartch will be available for training camp. The free agent signing has been sidelined throughout offseason workouts while rehabbing a Lisfranc fracture suffered late in the 2025 season while playing for the San Francisco 49ers.
Bartch has played six NFL seasons across stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the 49ers. He has 55 career appearances with 24 starts, and he started two of his six appearances last season. While he has shown promise, injuries have limited his consistency as far as being on the field.
Detroit conducts mandatory minicamp practices Tuesday and Wednesday before they will take time off ahead of training camp. No official start date has been revealed for Lions’ camp in 2026.
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