Lions, LaPorta Break Off Contract Talks — SkimNews
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- Sam LaPorta and the Detroit Lions broke off contract talks after negotiations stalled through the first four weeks of the season, per NFL Network sources.
- LaPorta would rank among the top free agents at any position in 2027 barring a breakthrough, and Detroit retains the franchise tag as a fallback.
- LaPorta has played about 90% of Detroit's offensive snaps through three games with 14 catches for 144 yards, after missing the final eight games of 2024 to surgery for a fully herniated disk.
- LaPorta hoped to follow Tucker Kraft, who landed a four-year, $75 million extension with the Green Bay Packers before the season.
- LaPorta, 25, was a 2023 second-round pick who posted 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, earning a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors.
- The Lions have signed Jahmyr Gibbs, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, and Kerby Joseph to long-term extensions over the past two years, and continue to negotiate in-season deals, though LaPorta's camp wanted to pause until then.
Why it matters: Tight ends in their prime rarely reach free agency, and LaPorta at 25 with a Pro Bowl resume would be a top target on the open market. Detroit retains the franchise tag, but four weeks of deadlocked in-season talks — during a year in which the Lions have already extended Gibbs, Hutchinson, Williams, and Joseph — point to a stubborn gap the sides couldn't close.
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