A busted back and a surgeon’s scalpel weren’t enough to tank Sam LaPorta’s stock. The league’s power brokers still believe in the kid.
Detroit’s star tight end went under the knife last November to fix a herniated disc, a scary diagnosis for a guy who makes his living colliding with 250-pound linebackers. But Dan Campbell, ever the optimist, recently told reporters that LaPorta is on track for the 2026 training camp. He is healing.
While he rehabs, the league is watching. ESPN polled NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to rank the league’s best tight ends, and they placed LaPorta at No. 4. Some ballots even had him at No. 3. They expect him to return to form. No hesitation.
His 2024 stats look mediocre on paper because of the injury. He played just nine games, hauling in 40 catches for 489 yards and three scores. But the tape tells a different story. He averaged 2.25 yards after first contact per catch, leading all top-10 tight ends. He also averaged 6.9 yards after the catch. He is a nightmare to bring down. One NFC scout praised his hands, his blocking, and his knack for making circus catches in the red zone, calling him “an all-around problem.”
We already know what he can do when healthy. His 2023 rookie campaign was historic, setting a tight end record with 86 catches, alongside 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. He followed that up with a 60-catch, 726-yard sophomore season before the injury bug bit.
Only three guys ranked ahead of him in the survey: Brock Bowers at the top spot, Trey McBride at No. 2, and veteran George Kittle at No. 3. LaPorta is in elite company, and the league knows it.
