The Detroit Lions feel fairly set on offense headed into this season's training camp. They're one of a few lucky ducks in the NFL that don't have to worry about having a competent quarterback, wide receiver room, or running back room added to the fold. They have an in-house juggernaut that should be able to jump off the page again in 2026.
One room that could be of concern for the Lions on offense, though, is their tight end room. Sam LaPorta is returning from a back injury suffered in 2025, and as anyone over the age of 30 can attest to, back injuries don't really "heal," necessarily, but are rather managed to the best of that person's ability.
Beyond him, the teams' options are Brock Wright (also recovering from injury) and Tyler Conklin (who is coming off a bad season with the Los Angeles Chargers).
If neither can show they're capable of playing meaningful backup snaps to LaPorta, especially as offensive coordinator Drew Petzing likes to run 13 personnel, then the Lions might want to look at what's remaining of the current TE free agency class.
3 free agent targets for Lions to look at if Wright and Conklin fizzle
Jonnu Smith
Smith has become a bit of a journeyman at this point in his career, most recently landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. Of course, they have one of the league's most difficult to tackle tight ends in Darnell Washington locked down, so Smith's role never really came to fruition for Pittsburgh.
He isn't necessarily the Lions' best bet as it pertains to finding a blocking tight end over one that's better utilized as a receiver, but he could be had for a cheap deal. If he's willing to sacrifice his receiving numbers to train as a better run blocker, then he could be worth the swing.
Will Dissly
If Detroit is looking for a run-blocking tight end, specifically, they may want to land another former Charger in Dissly. The veteran still has some juice as an in-line tight end, and he's another free agent that could probably be had on a cheaper deal. He's also not a terrible option as a receiver, picking up 481 yards on 50 receptions in his last full year with Los Angeles back in 2024.
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Something to keep in mind as it pertains to deals for either Dissly or Smith - if the Lions cut Wright, they're only saving $3.58 million against the cap. As for Conklin, they'd be saving just over $1 million. Cutting Wright could make a Dissly signing more feasible.
John FitzPatrick
FitzPatrick is coming off a torn achilles suffered in December 2025, so he might not be the most enticing option for a Lions team looking for immediate depth at the tight end position. But, he's still very young, and showed flashes of being a great blocker with the Green Bay Packers throughout the season.
His current market value of just over $1 million on a one-year "prove it" deal could be worth it for Detroit, especially if they want to find long-term depth behind LaPorta beyond just this season. As a buy-low candidate to help transform the Lions' offense in Petzing's image, he could be a worthwhile investment.
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