On Friday, head coach Dan Campbell told the media that Sam LaPorta is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a back injury — a huge setback for a Lions team aiming to make a deep playoff run.

With LaPorta out, the Lions have elevated Brock Wright to the TE1 role. Ross Dwelley now steps in as the backup, while both LaPorta and Shane Zylstra have been placed on injured reserve.

A massive hit for Jared Goff

The Lions’ offense — despite the departure of OC Ben Johnson this year — has been outstanding this season. Jared Goff still has plenty of weapons at his disposal, but the loss of LaPorta is a particularly sensitive one.

LaPorta has been a key asset for Detroit since arriving in 2023 as a second-round pick. He’s not only a reliable target in the passing game but also a strong blocker when needed.

Now, however, the offense will have to rely on Brock Wright as TE1. So far, the former Notre Dame standout has recorded 11 receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns — numbers the Lions will need him to improve as he steps in for LaPorta.

Fortunately for Detroit, Goff still has a strong supporting cast. With LaPorta out for the remainder of the 2025 NFL season, players such as Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, and David Montgomery are expected to take on even larger roles.

Undoubtedly, sharing same positions, Johnson saw in Loveland characteristics that reminded him of Sam LaPorta, one of Jared Goff’s top targets in the red zone during last season when discussing the Lions’ offensive strategy.

“I love the tape. I love everything about the tape, but when you get to know him as a man, it’s really intriguing,” Johnson said to the press. “It’s who we want to be going forward, in my opinion. He stands for high football character, IQ, intelligence, but he’s a great teammate. When we went to the University of Michigan, everybody was raving about him to see how he conducted himself, not only amongst his teammates, but walking through the building and interacting with equipment staff and video staff. You could tell that he was so well-respected.

“His story’s a little bit unique, coming from small town Idaho, and yet going to the big stage like he did, he didn’t bat an eye. And so, yeah, I do see a lot of comparisons to LaPorta, but that’s not just on the field. That was off the field as well, because with LaPorta, the stage was never too big or too bright. I felt that same thing with Colston the first time I met him. He doesn’t bat an eye.“

He finally concluded: “He performs at a high level. And as we talk about where we’re going as an organization, and we’re going to be playing in these big games with the bright lights, we need guys that are going to rise up to the occasion, and he’s going to do that for us.”

Reinforcements to support Caleb Williams

There are signs of a shift in the Chicago Bears, a historic NFL franchise that has long been absent from the spotlight. The selection of Williams as the new leader on the field was seen as a move for the future, which is why the arrival of Ben Johnson aims to elevate his development.

The selection of Loveland as the new tight end for the team isn’t the only new offensive weapon for the former USC star. In the second round of the draft, the Bears made an exceptionally smart move, securing one of the top wide receivers in college football: Luther Burden III.

These two young prospects now join talented receivers Rome Odunze and DJ Moore, so if there’s one thing Caleb Williams can feel confident about next season, it’s that he will have plenty of options to lead his team’s offense.

Sam LaPorta arrived in Detroit at the start of 2023, after being selected in the second round of the draft from the Iowa Hawkeyes. During his last season, he became a key piece in Johnson’s system, a relationship that we will no longer see moving forward in the league.

In a recent conversation with Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show, the talented tight end shared his feelings after the sudden departure of the now former offensive coordinator of the Lions to a direct rival in the NFC North.

“It hurts, of course,” he started. “You spend a lot of time with these people, invest a lot of energy and effort and hard work together. You know it’s mutual, you’re excited that he’s gonna run his own team and organization and have a lot on his plate. So, just very exciting times for him, and it is exciting times for us too as we turn towards our new staff and have a bright future as well.”

“Of course, happy for Ben,” the tight end said. “He was one of the big reasons they brought me into the Lions. Nothing but respect for him, but again, on Sunday afternoons this fall, there will be friends turned to enemies.”

LaPorta’s strong connection with Goff

Selected with the 34th pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Sam LaPorta has gradually become one of the key figures at his position, developing a strong connection with his quarterback, Jared Goff.

In his first season as a Lion, he played all 17 games, starting in 14 of them. In total, he scored 10 touchdowns, recording 16 receptions for 889 yards.

Last season, when his team even made it to the playoffs, LaPorta played 16 regular-season games (starting in all of them), and totaled 7 touchdowns. He recorded 60 receptions for 726 yards.

With the arrival of John Morton as the new offensive coordinator in Detroit, it is expected that not only will the tight end maintain these statistics, but also potentially surpass them.

In the first four weeks of the season, Sam LaPorta has undeniably emerged as one of the standout rookies in the league. The Detroit Lions have not only met but exceeded the expectations they had set with last year’s late-season resurgence.

Currently, they sit atop the NFC North standings, propelled by an impressive victory against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday night. In these stellar performances, one player who has truly shone in the passing game is LaPorta.

The rookie tight end has claimed a great place in the lineup as a reliable pass catcher. LaPorta even achieved something remarkable in his recent matchup, breaking an NFL record that Chiefs star Travis Kelce couldn’t secure.

Sam LaPorta’s Record

During the Lions’ Thursday road matchup with the Green Bay Packers, LaPorta etched his name into the history books. As reported by ESPN Stats & Info, the tight end now holds the record for the most receptions by a tight end in their first four career games since at least 1950.

LaPorta’s remarkable start to the season has seen him amass an impressive 22 receptions for 242 yards in 2023. The only tight end with more receiving yards than him during this early career period was Mike Ditka, who tallied 315 yards.

LaPorta attended the University of Iowa before being drafted with the 34th overall pick in this year’s event. The Lions’ tight end secured his first career touchdown reception last week against the Atlanta Falcons, snatching a 45-yard pass from Jared Goff.

How Old Is Sam LaPorta?

Sam LaPorta is 22 years old.