Sam LaPorta Trending Positively to Return against Colts

Dan Campbell offers positive Sam LaPorta update ahead of Colts game.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87). / Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions are optimistic about tight end Sam LaPorta's chances to play on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

A second-year tight end out of Iowa, LaPorta did not practice at all last week, and missed the team's 52-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, coach Dan Campbell offered a positive update ahead of the team's walkthrough on Wednesday.

"Walkthrough today, but I feel, I think it's trending, it's questionable to above for LaPorta," Campbell explained. "I think it's trending the right way."

Should he return in Week 12 against the Colts, he would be adding a valuable presence to the offense. On the season, LaPorta has amassed 25 catches for 366 yards and three touchdowns.

With LaPorta sidelined on Sunday, Detroit turned to the trio of Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra and practice squad call-up James Mitchell. Campbell raved about the performance of the trio.

It was the season debut for Mitchell, who has been on the team's practice squad. Wright, meanwhile, has cemented an established role for himself as the second tight end within the offense. In his bigger role, the veteran did a number of little things that helped the offense be efficient.

"We got James Mitchell up off of practice squad, he showed up, played for us. I thought he played a solid game. Certainly wasn't too big for him, he's played for us before," Campbell said. "I thought Brock carried the load for us, man. Played a lot of reps, a lot of snaps. He had to do a lot of different jobs. We all know he does the dirty work, the run game, the protection -- which he was outstanding in protection. But then, the number of routes that he had to run that you don't even notice, and they're clearouts. And then, he's blocking downfield. So, he really bailed us out, and helped us out a ton there."

Zylstra has also worked his way into the mix. After beginning the year on the practice squad and playing two games as an elevation, he was signed to the active roster prior to the team's game against the Texans.

He had his first catch of the season in the first quarter, a 22-yard grab from Jared Goff to help set up the team's first touchdown.

"Zylstra's been kind of a staple for us going on four weeks or whatever that is, and just quietly goes about his business and does the job," Campbell said. "It's been a good group, and Steve's (Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden) doing a good job with them."