With Sam LaPorta sounding ready to go for training camp, and with the recent addition of veteran tight end Tyler Conklin in free agency, the Detroit Lions are suddenly facing down a crowded TE room ahead of this season.
LaPorta is the obvious starter for Detroit, barring a back flare up ahead of the season kicking off, with Wright and Conklin battling for TE2. Wright has been with the team since 2021, so he has the leg up in terms of having the ear of the Lions' coaching staff. However, with a new offensive coordinator in the room, that likely doesn't matter too much.
Conklin's experience, coupled with Wright struggling a bit last season (albeit with a rough system in place), could make for an interesting roster battle headed into training camp. But, in terms of who would make for an obvious cut candidate for the Lions amid this battle, Conklin seems like the obvious target.
Lions might need to cut Wright amid brewing training camp battle
Cutting Wright would save the Lions just $3.5 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, so it's not like it would be a money saving move. More so, it's a way to get the room a bit roomier ahead of the season, and to make things a little more consistent for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Wright finished up last season with 108 receiving yards on 14 receptions, playing in 11 games for Detroit. He was relied upon heavily after LaPorta went down with his back injury, but he also couldn't go for a full season due to a trachea injury. Training camp will offer him his best opportunity to show that he's fully recovered and prepared to back LaPorta up once again.
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Conklin, on the flip side, enters the fray after a rough year with the Los Angeles Chargers. Bolt Beat writer Jason Reed shared with SideLion Report after the team signed him that, despite being given multiple opportunities, he couldn't block consistenly, nor could he be relied upon in important games.
Conklin fumbled on a "key drive" in the Chargers Week 1 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, blew coverage in Week 4 that led to a huge turnover generated by the New York Giants, and couldn't snag a pass from Justin Herbert during a critical part of their Week 5 bout against the Washington Commanders, which gave them all the momentum to bulldoze them.
So, Detroit has a tough task here: either hope that Conklin is a lot better than what his Chargers tenure would suggest, or rely on long-time Lion Wright to remain consistent as a backup.
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