Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is expected to land a new contract, but it will not come until after the 2026 season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Schefter said on ESPN on Thursday that the sides have not reached a deal and that any agreement now appears delayed until the offseason.
“Eventually, Sam LaPorta is going to get paid. But it looks like now it will NOT be until after this season,” Schefter said.
LaPorta is in the final year of his rookie contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if no extension is reached. The Lions retain the franchise tag as an option to keep him.
Contract talks between the two sides broke off in early October after several weeks of negotiations produced no agreement, according to reports from ESPN and NFL Network. The sides had tried to finalize a long-term deal during the first four weeks of the season.
LaPorta addressed the situation publicly this week on the “Pardon My Take” podcast, voicing frustration over the lack of progress.
“I think the combination of getting your heartstrings twisted as well as the violent sport that we play, it sucks,” LaPorta said. “And it’s disappointing that you go out there every week and you bear the risk of getting hurt. Like last year, whatever it was, Week 9, Week 10, I break my (expletive) 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.
“So it sucks. I’m going to continue to be a pro, and I dish a lot of that to my agent, and he handles that great. … So I’m going to continue to go 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.”
LaPorta has been productive while playing on an expiring deal. Through five games this season, he has 27 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns.
Those numbers put him among the top tight ends in the league in yards and scores so far. He is averaging 11.7 yards per catch.
For his career, LaPorta has 213 receptions for 2,420 yards and 23 touchdowns across 47 games, according to Pro-Football-Reference. His rookie season in 2023 featured 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 scores, earning him Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro recognition.
His 2025 season ended after nine games because of a back injury that required surgery. He returned this year looking like his prior self.
The tight end market has risen in recent months. Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft, who shares an agent with LaPorta, signed a four-year, $75 million extension before the season that averages $18.75 million per year. San Francisco’s George Kittle holds the top average annual value among tight ends at $19.1 million.
The projected franchise tag for tight ends in 2027 sits near $17.5 million, according to Over the Cap. That figure would give the Lions a one-year option if no long-term deal materializes.
LaPorta, a second-round pick in 2023 out of Iowa, turns 26 in January. Detroit has already extended several other members of its recent draft classes and has publicly expressed interest in keeping him.
Any further talks would now appear to wait until after the regular season concludes.
