5 biggest losers for the Detroit Lions after the 2023 NFL Draft

1. TE Brock Wright

The Lions tight end depth chart was begging for a talent upgrade at some point this offseason, and it got one with Sam LaPorta in the second round of the draft.

Wright was the nominal starting tight end for the Lions after T. J. Hockenson was traded last year, with snap shares that reflected it (57 percent or higher in seven of the last 10 games). His game-winning touchdown against the New York Jets in Week 15 is a memorable play from last season.

But Wright is not a No. 1 tight end on a good team, and he might not even be a No. 2 on a good team. He’s fine to keep around as a depth guy, and the Lions seem to like him, but the ceiling of the offense is dampened if he’s got a big role.

A hat-tip to Shane Zylstra can easily be put here, as his roster spot as the Lions’ TE4 (don’t forget about second-year man James Mitchell) is now hardly a lock.

The Lions drafting practically any tight end would have put Wright on a rough list of post-draft losers. Drafting LaPorta with a top-35 overall pick sealed the deal, and vaulted him to the top spot.