With the hiring of Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator, and keeping with a league-wide trend, the Detroit Lions' offense is in line to shift back toward higher rates of multiple tight end personnel groupings this season.
That said, as exposed by Sam LaPorta's absence late last season, the Lions needed better tight end depth if they planned to execute that idea. A splashy move was not required in free agency, and Tyler Conklin had some productive seasons before a one season dud with the Los Angeles Chargers last year.
While Brock Wright has been well thought by the Lions' coaching staff, whether his performance backs it up or not, he is a quintessential replacement-level backup tight end. It seemed like a foregone conclusion Conklin would take over as the TE2 this season, until an injury that sidelined him for minicamp kept him out into the start of training camp.
It didn't seem to be a long-term health concern for Conklin, despite his placement on the PUP list to start camp, but every practice day he missed was a missed opportunity in the effort to unseat Wright.
Tyler Conklin's return to health means Lions' TE2 competition is now on
On Wednesday, it was announced Conklin passed his physical.
Per the transaction wire today, Lions TE Tyler Conklin passed his physical. He should be back at practice tomorrow off PUP. Lions have been shorthanded at TE most of the summer
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) August 5, 2026
As expected, Conklin came off the PUP list before Thursday's practice and he was seen on the field. But as noted by Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit, and also as expected, he was eased into activity during his first training camp practice.
"Conklin officially came off the PUP list and did some walkthrough and individual drills on Thursday. He was not cleared for team drills yet, though."
READ MORE: Everything Drew Petzing said about Jameson Williams' growth amid excellent camp
In the coming days, Conklin should be cleared to participate in team drills. If he's not, that will be a concern. Then he can start to really show himself as the best option to be the Lions' TE2, if only based on being a more genuine threat as a pass catcher.
Conklin's career-best of 61 receptions, which he has done twice, almost equals Wright's career catch total through five seasons (70). A second tight end opposing pass defenses have to truly account for would be a new evolution for the Lions' offense, in two-fold correlation with the aforementioned league-wide trend toward tight-end heavy personnel and one of Petzing's core formation tendencies.
We've been waiting for the training camp battle for the No. 2 spot on the Lions' tight end depth chart to start. Conklin being out on the practice field means that moment is finally here, and we'll see what happens now.
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