SamLaPorta

News: 5 hours agoThe Lions have received trade calls on LaPorta leading up to Tuesday's deadline, but the team prefers to keep him with the hope of signing the tight end to a long-term deal, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.

Spin: Earlier in the season, LaPorta expressed his frustration with the Lions for the organization's inability to come to terms on an extension with him, but both sides still appear to be on good terms and willing to re-engage in discussions on a new deal before he becomes a free agent in 2027. The fourth-year tight end has likely helped his case for earning a lucrative contract by having thus far stayed healthy throughout the season while putting together a 35-399-3 receiving line on 49 targets over the Lions' first eight games.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: LaPorta has settled in as one of the league's top tight ends, but the 2023 second-round pick simply hasn't been able to match the fantasy success he enjoyed as a rookie. Since posting an 86-889-10 receiving line in 17 games that first season, LaPorta has totaled a 100-1,215-10 line in 25 games over the past two seasons. LaPorta's 2025 campaign was cut short by a back injury, otherwise he was well on his way to his third straight top-10 fantasy campaign (he finished seventh in PPG). The 25-year-old joins Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs as the clear "Core Four" targets in a good, pass-friendly Detroit offense, and is thus a solid fantasy TE1.