LaPorta Focused on Growth After Banner Rookie Year

Can Sam LaPorta continue career ascent?

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta. / Camren Clouthier, @Lions On SI.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is focused on making the most of what was an exceptional start to his NFL career.

As a rookie, he set the NFL record for receptions by a rookie tight end and hauled in 10 touchdown passes. It was a phenomenal debut campaign, and one that earned him national acclaim.

Now, the Iowa product is coming to terms with his national celebrity, as fans and pundits have high expectations for him in 2024. He returned to Tight End U this summer, and received praise from some of the game's best at his position for the work he did in 2023.

“A lot of fun. It was cool to have my peers, other tight ends across the league recognize me and say, ‘Hey, you had a fantastic year this year,'" LaPorta recalled. "'Rookie tight ends, that’s not usually the case and the year you had, just congrats on that.’ So it was cool to get acknowledged by a lot of those guys down there and of course had a lot of fun. Learned a couple things as well.” 

The optimism swells for the Lions as a whole, as three players including him have already been revealed within the league's ongoing Top-100 players list. Players such as first-team All-Pro selections Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell have still yet to be revealed.

With so many on the roster viewed among the best at their respective positions, the Lions have the makings of a team with special things on the horizon.

“There’s exciting expectations surrounding the team of course and a lot of individuals on the team. There’s a bunch of guys coming off All-Pro seasons, the top-100 list is coming out, it’s awesome to see so many of our guys on it," LaPorta explained. "Just like everybody else, just trying to take small steps forward in just a bunch of little aspects of my game. It’s really what separates the good players and the great players in this league. Small increments, getting better.” 

One element that has differentiated the Lions from other teams is their continuity on the coaching staff. Whereas some teams go through various coaches and turnover on a yearly basis, the Lions are entering their third year with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and fourth with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Because of this, the team is able to bypass introductory-level concepts and dig deeper into more advanced stages of the playbook.

“Personally, just when I showed up in the springtime, you're trying to take in as much information as possible," LaPorta said. "This year I come back in the springtime, I know a lot of the installs, obviously. So that was a great stepping stone to start off on, and then continuity. It’s great right now. We're clicking right now. It's early in camp, of course, but we got to keep building on it.”

Retaining the 'glue guy'

While LaPorta is the top option at tight end, the Lions have another reliable piece at the position in former undrafted rookie Brock Wright.

At a point in the offseason, it looked as though Wright would be heading to San Francisco when the 49ers offered him a three-year offer sheet. However, the Lions decided to match it and keep him for the future.

LaPorta has worked closely with Wright in the run game as well as when both are running routes. He expressed an appreciation for the nuances that Wright provides.

“I’ve mentioned that in the past, that Brock is a big glue guy," LaPorta explained. "He’s really another coach out there on the field. He’s a great resource for me. He’s always analyzing the defense, where the point is, where the double teams are working together, coverages, all sorts of stuff. So great piece of advice that I can use with Brock out there on the field.”