Would the Detroit Lions consider franchise tagging Sam LaPorta or Brian Branch this season or next?
According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, it's a distinct possibility the Lions consider it given the financial tie-ups the team is set to experience in free agency over the next few years.
Four Lions are due up for an extension this offseason: Jack Campbell, Branch, LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs. A key detail about these deals is that amongst these four extension-eligible Lions players, two can have fifth-year options exercised in order to buy the Lions some time: Gibbs and Campbell.
That leaves LaPorta or Branch freed for a franchise tag, which would lock one of them in with a tendered, one-year deal with Detroit while the other is taken care of with a contract extension in 2027.
"The Lions have some weight with LaPorta and Branch because they can threaten one of them with a (likely affordable) 2027 franchise tag. They can't franchise both players, but they can try to play the two players off each other. If Branch signs first, the Lions can hold the franchise tag leverage over LaPorta -- or vice versa."
Lions could use franchise tag to change entire extension landscape
Detroit has a lot of goodwill generated with their players, and them providing some sort of security to one of LaPorta or Branch, despite their injury woes in 2025, would go a long way.
Their roster construction capabilities are a big concern headed into free agency this offseason and in the next few years because of how many core players have already gotten paydays, but the team is also pretty savvy about lower up-front deals with larger options attached to those deals.
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If they tagged Branch for 2027 and decided to pay out LaPorta, the tight end is likely due for a payday in the range of 4 years and $68 million, according to Graziano. Then, Branch is due up for something like 3 years and $66 million, per Graziano. These are pretty digestible deals over time, and they ensure that the team has locked in two contending pieces.
Branch feels like the more likely tagged player given the severity of his injury in 2025 - a torn Achilles. He's going to need some significant time to recover, whereas LaPorta's back injury feels a bit vaguer and, as a result, more treatable, in nature. He can immediately make an impact on the field in 2026 and garner a deal, whereas Branch might need a "prove it" year after getting tagged to earn an extension.