The Detroit Lions, almost to a fault, are committed to keeping the core of their roster intact. General manager Brad Holmes defers to that whenever he talks about free agency moves (or lack thereof), with this offseason's buzz phrase being "financial constraints."
To this point, rewarding the players the Lions want to has been markedly uncomplicated. It took a little time to get defensive end Aidan Hutchinson's contract extension done, but the only reason that stands out is that other second contracts (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell) were resolved much faster.
The first four picks of the Lions' 2023 draft class are all in line for notable second contracts. Linebacker Jack Campbell has his big extension, but it's worth wondering if safety Brian Branch might end up being the odd man out.
That leaves star running back Jahmyr Gibbs and standout tight end Sam LaPorta as the biggest looming deals before Holmes' "financial constraints" excuse dries up, with no one from the last couple of draft classes looking poised to break the bank, or perhaps, get a second contract from Detroit at all.
Sam LaPorta could join Jahmyr Gibbs as Lions star with a contract problem brewing
When it's all said and done, Gibbs will very likely either be the highest-paid or the second-highest-paid running back in the NFL when his new contract is agreed to. There is a chance that, with no known deadline set by Gibbs or his agent, talks extend into training camp or into the season.
An argument can be made, since LaPorta was a second-round pick and is entering the final year of his rookie contract, whereas the Lions picked up Gibbs' fifth-year option, there's more urgency to get an extension done with the former.
The idea of LaPorta becoming one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league is not outlandish. A recent contract extension for a notable tight end may have set a different price point to complicate that equation.
Joel Corry of CBS Sports is a former NFL agent, and he recently authored a list of potential 2027 franchise tag candidates. LaPorta landed as a fairly surprising inclusion.
"The Lions are among the NFL's most proactive teams at locking up core players before the expiration of rookie contracts. This philosophy could work to LaPorta's advantage. LaPorta had a fast start to his career. He set a single-season rookie record for a tight end with 86 receptions in 2023, which was broken by Brock Bowers the following year, and earned second-team All-Pro honors in the process. LaPorta missed the final eight games last season with a herniated disc in his back, which required surgery."
Corry also made reference to that aforementioned new contract for Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
"The most recent relevant data point in the tight end market is the three-year, $53 million contract, averaging $17,666,667 per year, with $36 million fully guaranteed. Pitts signed with the Falcons in June as a franchise player."
According to Over The Cap, the currently projected franchise tag amount for tight ends in 2027 is $17.43 million. The Falcons tagged Kyle Pitts this offseason, then gave him a multi-year deal worth just a little more per year than that projected number. Coincidence? Possibly, but I think we know better.
The health of LaPorta's back is another layer when it comes to a contract extension. That said, by all accounts, he has had no setbacks after surgery and will be good to go for training camp. Somewhere around what Pitts got per year/the 2027 franchise tag projection is surely the starting point for negotiations, no matter what, with a strong case for LaPorta to get more.
Attention has largely gone toward Gibbs' situation when it comes to the value of a contract extension and the timeframe for the Lions to get it done. But negotiations with LaPorta could be complicated in their own way, and equally as much when it comes down to it.
Ideally, agreement on a contract extension will be reached well before the possibility of a franchise tag enters the conversation with LaPorta in any legitimate way. It would also most likely be a placeholder to continue talks until, if necessary, on or around July 15, 2027. The Lions also rarely use the franchise tag; just five times since it was invented 33 years ago.
But until a deal is reached, it is within the range of possibilities for the Lions to tag LaPorta next offseason. Corry has simply brought it to light as something to be aware of.
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