Lions Matching Brock Wright's Offer Sheet With San Francisco 49ers

Lions elect to retain Brock Wright.

Oct 30, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) runs with the ball. / David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Lions are retaining one of their important depth pieces in Ben Johnson’s offense. 

General manager Brad Holmes and his staff have made the decision to match Brock Wright’s three-year, $12 million offer sheet with the San Francisco 49ers. The commitment signals the Lions view Wright as a key player for the future as they chase a Super Bowl championship in 2024. 

An undrafted rookie in 2021, Wright cracked the roster that year and has been a solid presence as a blocking-oriented tight end throughout his career. In three seasons, Wright hauled in 43 passes for 424 yards and seven touchdowns. 

His biggest season came in 2022, when he became a primary tight end target after the team traded T.J. Hockenson. That year, he caught 18 passes for 216 yards and four touchdowns. 

Last year, with the emergence of Sam LaPorta, Wright was quieter in the passing game. He caught 13 passes for 91 yards and one touchdown.

The Lions’ current other options at the position include James Mitchell and Shane Zylstra. 

In two NFL campaigns, Mitchell has caught 13 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Last year, his production was limited to just two catches for 28 yards. When LaPorta went down with a knee injury in the regular season finale, it looked as though Mitchell could play a big role in the postseason. However, he suffered a hand injury and underwent surgery days before the Wild Card Round matchup with the Rams, which LaPorta would play in.