Lions, LaPorta Break Off Contract Talks — SkimNews
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- Sam LaPorta and the Detroit Lions broke off contract talks after attempting to work out a long-term deal through the first four weeks of the season, with a push Friday and Saturday failing to produce an agreement.
- LaPorta is set to become a free agent in 2027 barring a breakthrough, though Detroit would have the franchise tag available, and tight ends in their prime 'almost never' reach the open market.
- LaPorta has posted 14 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown while playing about 90% of Detroit's offensive snaps through three games, coming back from back surgery that ended his 2025 season after eight missed games due to a fully herniated disk.
- Tucker Kraft and the Green Bay Packers agreed to a four-year, $75 million contract before the season, and LaPorta — who shares agent Jack Bechta with Kraft — had hoped to be the second star tight end to land a new deal.
- The Lions have signed several core players to long-term extensions over the past two years, including Jahmyr Gibbs, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, and Kerby Joseph, but could not come to terms with LaPorta despite his strong health and play.
- LaPorta, 25, was a 2023 second-round pick who burst onto the scene as a rookie with 86 catches, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors before his 2024 follow-up and injury-shortened 2025.
Why it matters: The Lions have now extended most of their core stars — Gibbs, Hutchinson, Williams, Joseph — yet couldn't close on LaPorta even after his back surgery recovery and a strong start. With Kraft's $75M deal resetting the tight-end market and LaPorta heading toward 2027 free agency, Detroit faces either a franchise tag decision or losing a 25-year-old Pro Bowler to what the source calls a rare prime-TE free agency market.
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