Sam LaPorta and the Detroit Lions won’t be reaching an agreement on a new contract anytime soon.
LaPorta and the Lions broke off contract talks after a weekend of negotiations, ESPN reported Sunday, Oct. 4, so LaPorta could focus on football.
The 25-year-old is in the final year of his contract and scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
If they’re unable to reopen negotiations and sign him to a long-term extension, the Lions could use the franchise tag on LaPorta to keep him in Detroit.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes said multiple times this offseason he hoped to sign LaPorta to a new deal, like he’s done most of the team’s’ other top draft picks from 2021-23.
LaPorta underwent back surgery that ended his season after
nine games last year, and the tight end market has exploded this summer.
Tucker Kraft signed a four-year extension before the start of the season that made him the third-highest-paid tight end at $18.75 million per season, and Kyle Pitts and Michael Mayer also got deals worth at least $15 million per year.
LaPorta, a second-round pick out of Iowa in 2023, set a then-rookie tight end record with 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.
His production has dipped each of the past two seasons − he had 60 catches for 726 yards in 2024 and 40 catches for 489 yards in his shortened season last year − but he’s off to a strong start this year with 14 catches for 144 yards in the Lions’ 2-1 start.
The Lions have signed several of their young stars to in-season deals in recent years, including Aidan Hutchinson last year and Alim McNeill in 2024.
They signed fellow 2023 draft picks Jack Campbell and Jahmyr Gibbs to extensions earlier this year and still would like to sign 2023 second-round pick Brian Branch to a new contract.
Branch is on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon but could return to practice as soon as next week.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions, TE Sam LaPorta stop contract talks: report
