Tight end Sam LaPorta's interview for "Pardon My Take" created a stir after last week after the podcast aired. The 2023 second-round pick voiced frustration over the lack of progress on a new deal with the Detroit Lions, indicating he would be fine playing for another team next year.
"Like last year, whatever it was, Week 9, Week 10, I break my f---ing back for the team. And then I'm going out there this year and I'm balling, and maybe they're just not showing the love," LaPorta said. "…I'm going to continue to do my thing and ball out, and in three months, if I don't get to wear the Honolulu blue and play for the Lions anymore, it's going to be all good. I'll go get paid somewhere else."
A majority of the Lions fan base viewed LaPorta's comments as selfish, greedy, disloyal and tone deaf by airing his grievances publicly during the season. A few appreciated LaPorta's candor.
Coach Dan Campbell seemed annoyed by being repeatedly asked questions about LaPorta's comments during a press conference last Friday. LaPorta later clarified his comments when meeting with the media. He stated that he prefers to remain with the Lions.
LaPorta was a non-factor in the Lions' passing game until the final drive during Sunday's 20-17 win over the Green Bay Packers. He finished with one reception for 18 yards on two targets. LaPorta isn't showing any ill effects from the herniated disc in his back, which he suffered nine games into last season, that required surgery, although it was his quietest game since early in the 2024 season. Despite the slow day, LaPorta is on pace for 79 receptions, a career-high 946 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
LaPorta is making $5.8 million in the final year of his four-year rookie deal. Contract extension talks between the Lions and Jack Bechta, LaPorta's agent, broke off about three weeks ago. The Lions are typically among the NFL's most proactive teams in locking up core players before their rookie contracts expire.
Tucker Kraft's deal sets the baseline for Sam LaPorta
Bectha also represents Tucker Kraft, who is the latest relevant data point in the tight end market. Kraft, a 2023 third-round pick, received a four-year, $75 million contract extension from the Packers a day before the regular season started. The torn right ACL Kraft suffered during the middle of the 2025 season didn't deter the Packers from doing the deal.
At $18.75 million per year, Kraft is the NFL's third-highest-paid tight end. Incentives and salary escalators totaling $17 million make this $18.75 million-per-year deal worth as much as $23 million per year. Kraft's 2028 through 2030 base salaries each increase by as much as $4.25 million annually based on his statistical performance, playtime and honors earned in the previous season. There are $4.25 million of incentives in 2030 also based on Kraft's statistical performance, playtime and honors earned during that season.
For example, Kraft's 2028 base salary increases by $500,000 with at least 75 receptions in 2027. It's another $250,000 increase for hitting 85 receptions and an additional $250,000 for a total of $1 million with 95 or more receptions. Getting 800, 950, and 1,100 receiving yards generates the same escalation amounts. There are three levels with receiving touchdowns of at least seven, nine and 10 for $250,000 apiece. Having 80% or more offensive playtime is worth $500,000. Reaching 85% and 92% playtime is worth an extra $250,000, respectively. There's also a $250,000 increase for being selected to the Pro Bowl (on the original ballot) and another $250,000 for being named first team All-Pro by the Associated Press. It's the same criteria and dollar amounts as with the annual salary escalators for the 2030 incentives.
Bechta is undoubtedly using Kraft's contract as a measuring stick for LaPorta. There is a parallel between the Christian Gonzalez/Devon Witherspoon situation and LaPorta's. The $33 million per year deal Reggie Johnson got from the Seattle Seahawks for Witherspoon in the middle of August to move the cornerback market set the table for Gonzalez, another one of his clients, to sign a $33.75 million per year extension with the New England Patriots, resetting this market again in early September as the start of the regular season was approaching.
LaPorta has been the more productive of the two tight ends. He set a single-season rookie record for a tight end in 2023, with 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, a record broken the following year by Brock Bowers. LaPorta was named to the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors in the process. Kraft's career highs of 50 catches, 707 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions were in 2024.
LaPorta has 214 receptions for 2,438 yards with 23 touchdowns in 48 career games, while Kraft has 142 catches, 1,848 receiving yards, and 17 receiving touchdowns in 49 career games. Since entering the NFL in 2023, LaPorta ranks third and fourth, respectively, among tight ends in touchdown receptions and receiving yards.
What a market-resetting LaPorta contract could look like
Bectha is probably targeting more than just a nominal increase over his Kraft deal with LaPorta. It wouldn't be surprising for Bechta to look at how much of Kraft's performance bonuses LaPorta would earn, given his consistent performance as a rookie in 2023. LaPorta's rookie season shouldn't be considered as a statistical outlier. His projected 2026 production is comparable to 2023's.
LaPorta would earn $86 million under Kraft's contract, using his rookie 2023 season as a baseline for future performance. A $21.5 million per year LaPorta deal would essentially be a 12.5% increase of the tight end market. George Kittle, another Bechta client, is the current standard with the backloaded four-year, $76.4 million extension averaging $19.1 million per year he signed with the San Francisco 49ers in April 2025.
Presumably, Bechta is insisting on establishing new tight-end benchmarks for overall guarantees and for the amount fully guaranteed at signing. Those are Trey McBride's $43 million in the four-year, $76 million extension, averaging $19 million per year he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025 about three weeks before Kittle and the $36 million in the three-year, $53 million deal Kyle Pitts, who was designated as a franchise player for $15 million, received from the Atlanta Falcons during June.
It remains to be seen whether LaPorta's outburst will spur additional contract talks this season. Notwithstanding LaPorta's clarification, usually the longer a player incurs the risk of injury and poor performance in a contract year, the more he will want to test the open market unless his contract demands are met. That's something the Lions may want to consider with LaPorta.
LaPorta's comments prompted some media speculation that he could be dealt before the trade deadline. It should be noted that the Lions opted against making a substantial tight end investment in T.J. Hockenson. He was dealt to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North at the 2022 trade deadline instead. Getting rid of LaPorta this season would create a big hole in Detroit's offense. Tyler Conklin and Brock Wright are LaPorta's primary backups at tight end.
Franchise tag could complicate Lions decision
Detroit balking at Bechta's demands could open the door to LaPorta becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. If the Lions plan on keeping LaPorta and fellow 2023 second-round pick safety Brian Branch, who just returned from the right Achilles tendon he tore late last season, one of two has to be signed to a new deal before the 15-day franchise tag designation period expires next March 3.
Using a franchise tag would be a major departure for the Lions. The last usage was in 2018 on edge rusher Ziggy Ansah.
Under the NFL collective bargaining agreement's formula for non-exclusive franchise tags, the 2027 tight end number is projected to be 4.998% of the 2027 salary cap. That's slightly up from this year's 4.995%.
The 2027 tight end franchise tag should be $16.169 million, with next year's salary cap being set at $323.5 million. A 7.4% increase in the salary cap over the current $301.2 million figure would be consistent with the 7.88% growth from 2025.
If LaPorta is designated as a franchise player, he would have little incentive to do a deal quickly. Bowers will be eligible to sign a contract extension as soon as the 2026 regular season ends next January 10. He is the Las Vegas Raiders' primary receiving threat. LaPorta's best deal would come from letting Bowers massively reset the tight end market, provided it happened prior to the July 15 deadline for franchise players to sign long-term. Bowers' camp using the Raiders' 50% center market increase with Tyler Linderbaum to try to justify a deal in the $30 million-per-year neighborhood should be expected.
Highly productive tight ends in their prime rarely hit the open market. LaPorta will be 26 in January. Bechta would be licking his chops for the chance because LaPorta would be a hot commodity on the open market.
