Sam LaPorta’s Quiet Week 7 Raises Questions Amid Contract Frustrations
Sam LaPorta picked a tough time to have his quietest game of the season.
The Detroit Lions star tight end and the front office are reportedly not seeing eye to eye on a new deal. According to Detroit Jock City, contract negotiations have been paused since before the season started, and LaPorta has openly expressed frustration, saying he wouldn’t mind playing elsewhere if the Lions don’t want to pay him.
That made his performance in Sunday’s 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers stand out — for the wrong reasons.
LaPorta finished with just two targets, one reception, and 18 yards. Both marks were season lows. His first target and catch didn’t come until late in the fourth quarter. While Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams combined for 244 yards and two touchdowns, LaPorta was mostly a decoy.
Whether that usage was by design or just how the game flowed is unclear. The report suggests it could have been intentional from the coaching staff to show the offense can still function without heavily featuring him.
Regardless, the timing is awkward. After two straight games topping 80 yards, LaPorta missed a chance to add leverage to his contract stance.
The Lions need the best version of LaPorta. He makes their offense more dangerous and opens things up for everyone else. The front office has the leverage of the franchise tag, but as the article notes, those standoffs rarely end cleanly.
If Detroit doesn’t plan to keep him long-term, the piece even suggests exploring the trade market, as he would still command strong value as one of the league’s rising tight ends.
For now, both sides have a lot to figure out — and LaPorta will need to bounce back in Week 8 against Minnesota.
