Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is in the market for a new contract and he said this week that “it sucks” that one hasn’t come together with the team as he plays out the final year of his rookie deal.
LaPorta added that he’s confident he’ll “go get paid somewhere else” if he doesn’t reach a deal with the Lions at some point and those comments were a topic of conversation for head coach Dan Campbell at a Friday press conference. Campbell acknowledged that “you never want anything to happen during the season because we’re talking about this now and we’re two days from Green Bay,” but said that he has no doubt that LaPorta is “locked in” on this year and that there won’t be any negative impact on the team.
“I know what it may appear like. I know Sam. We all know Sam,” Campbell said. “Honestly, I don’t even think twice about those comments because I know what he’s about. We’re all good here and we’re not going to let this be a distraction. He’s not, we’re not, we’re all good.”
LaPorta has 27 catches for 316 yards and three touchdowns through five games and he’ll be right about getting paid somewhere if he continues to produce at that level through the end of the 2026 season.
Lions Clips
Packers running back Josh Jacobs appears still on track to play in Sunday’s game against the Lions.
Asked about Jacobs on Friday, head coach Matt LaFleur said he believes Jacobs has shown what’s needed to be available for the divisional matchup.
“But, again, we’ll get through it and see how he’s feeling, the confidence he has in himself, which I think is pretty strong,” LaFleur said. “But those conversations will take place after practice.”
Jacobs is currently exempt from the 53-man roster since returning from the commissioner’s list earlier this week.
In 15 games last season, Jacobs rushed for 929 yards with 13 touchdowns and caught 36 passes for 282 yards with a TD.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love told reporters on Wednesday that he would be available for Sunday’s game against the Lions, despite being listed as limited on Green Bay’s first injury report of the week.
That’s reflected in Thursday’s report, as Love was upgraded from limited to full participation for the day’s practice.
Love is dealing with a back issue after taking several hits during the Week 6 victory over the Cowboys. Head coach Matt LaFleur noted in his Thursday press conference that Love was pretty beat up after the game and had been working with the chiropractor.
Notably, the Packers added linebacker Zaire Franklin (shin) and edge rusher Lucas Van Ness (illness) as limited participants in practice.
Guard Aaron Banks (knee/toe), defensive tackle Anthony Campbell (ankle), cornerback Brandon Cisse (shoulder/neck), receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder), defensive tackle Jordon Riley (Achilles), cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring), receiver Christian Watson (ankle), and receiver Savion Williams (ankle) all remained limited.
Receiver Bo Melton (back) remained a non-participant.
The Lions have promoted a veteran receiver.
Detroit announced on Thursday that DeAndre Carter has been signed to the 53-man roster from the club’s practice squad.
Carter had joined Detroit’s practice squad last week.
Having entered the league in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Sacramento State, Carter has appeared in 111 career games with 21 starts. He was last with the Browns in 2025, appearing in four games before suffering a knee injury.
In 2024, Carter appeared in 13 games for the Bears, catching nine passes for 72 yards.
Additionally, Detroit has signed safety Myles Bryant to its practice squad.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love popped up on Wednesday’s injury report as limited with a back injury.
But Love told reporters that he’s not at risk of missing the Week 7 matchup against Detroit.
“It’s just dealing with a sore back from the game,” Love said, via Bill Huber of SI.com. “Just some lingering effects from that. One of those things, we’ll just take it day by day but, obviously, it was nice to have a jog-through day, a little bit more mental day, and just recover.”
Love was officially hit eight times with three sacks in the Week 6 victory over the Cowboys.
“Obviously, just with the back, I don’t know exactly what play it happened on, when it happened,” Love said. “We talk about all the time: You want to, obviously, limit me taking hits in the pocket. That’s something that we’ve talked about, we harp on, and there’s been some better efforts to do better and protect better. I think guys are responding to that. It’s one of those things, yeah, you want to be able to limit as many hits as I take.”
In his six games this season, Love has completed 60 percent of his throws for 1,684 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
The Packers have added their quarterback to their injury report.
Jordan Love has been listed as limited in Wednesday’s session due to a back injury.
The Packers held a walk-through instead of a full practice to start the week, making the report an estimate.
Love did not miss a snap in the Week 6 victory over the Cowboys.
In six games this season, Love has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,684 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Only receiver Bo Melton (back) was a non-participant in the session.
Guard Aaron Banks (knee/toe), defensive tackle Anthony Campbell (ankle), cornerback Brandon Cisse (shoulder/neck), receiver Matthew Golden (shoulder), defensive tackle Jordon Riley (Achilles), cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring), receiver Christian Watson (ankle), and receiver Savion Williams (ankle) were all limited.
Notably, running back Josh Jacobs is not on the report, implying he was a full participant on Wednesday in his return to the club.
The contract stalemate between the Lions and tight end Sam LaPorta has LaPorta thinking he might be elsewhere next season.
LaPorta says it’s frustrating that after putting it all on the line for his team, including a season-ending back injury last year, he still doesn’t have a contract beyond this season.
“I think the combination of getting your heartstrings twisted as well as the violent sport that we play, it sucks,” LaPorta said on Pardon My Take. “It’s disappointing that you go out there every week and you bear the risk of getting hurt. Like last year, whatever it was, Week 9, Week 10, I break my fucking back for the team. And then I’m going out there this year, and I’m ballin’, and maybe they’re just not showing the love. So it sucks.”
LaPorta knows that after this season the Lions will have to either pay him or let him test free agency, and either way he thinks he’ll be doing well.
“I’m going to continue to do my thing and ball out, and in three months if I don’t get to wear the Honolulu Blue and play for the Lions anymore, it’s going to be all good. I’ll go get paid somewhere else. So, whatever,” LaPorta said.
Lions coach Dan Campbell has praised LaPorta this year for how well he’s playing, so LaPorta isn’t letting his frustrations affect his ability to keep playing at a high level. And that’s smart: Other teams are seeing how LaPorta is playing, and some team is going to pay him.
The Packers offense had some rocky moments in the opening weeks of the season, but the last two weeks have seen the unit find its footing.
They’ve put up 54 points and 746 yards while turning the ball over once in wins over the Bears and Cowboys that have them sitting at 4-2 ahead of Sunday’s game in Detroit. The Lions defense had a good showing in its Week 5 game against the Cardinals and they’ll be hoping that carries over through last week’s bye, but head coach Dan Campbell isn’t expecting the group to pitch a shutout.
Campbell called Packers quarterback Jordan Love the team’s “secret sauce” during his Tuesday press conference and highlighted the touch he’s thrown on deep balls to Christian Watson and Matthew Golden as a particular concern. The two wideouts have 59 catches for 1,039 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, which is why Campbell said the team needs to be prepared to win in a shootout if necessary.
“They’re going to make some plays, but it’s about us making more of ‘em,” Campbell said. “If we get an opportunity for something, we have got to make the most of it, something that swings in our favor. We have to capitalize on those.”
The Packers beat the Lions twice last season and extending that winning streak would push the Lions further into fourth place in a very competitive decision, so Campbell will have to make sure his team is sharp on both sides of the ball this weekend.
The Lions are set to have Brian Branch in the lineup for the first time this season when they face the Packers on Sunday, but they’re still waiting for another one of their safeties to get back on the field.
Kerby Joseph is on the physically unable to perform list because of the knee problems that also limited him to six games last season. On Tuesday, head coach Dan Campbell said “I do” when asked if he expects Joseph to play this season but said only that the team will “take it one day at a time” regarding when that might happen.
“He’s doing well,” Campbell said at a press conference. “I’ll leave it at that. He really is, he’s doing a good job. I’m not gonna give you a timetable, but I’ve been pleased with where he’s at.
Joseph was a first-team All-Pro while playing every game during the 2024 season, which also saw the Lions defense perform at a higher level across the board than they’ve managed since the start of last season. Joseph wouldn’t fix all problems, but he’s a piece the team would likely have back in the mix as they try to make it to the postseason.
During the offseason, the Lions elected to move three-time first-team AP All-Pro Penei Sewell from right tackle to left tackle.
So far, head coach Dan Campbell has liked the results.
“The switch has been outstanding and yes, I have [seen growth],” Campbell said in his Monday press conference, via transcript from the team. “I still feel an ascending player. I feel like in some regards he looks even more smooth than he did at right. And I never thought he’d looked out of place at right or didn’t look smooth. It almost feels like he’s found even another little gear here [with] his ability to get out of his stance, and anchor, and punch, and run off the football.
“But it’s a credit to him. He’s banked a lot of reps and honestly, he can go anywhere. I mean, you can put him in the left, you can put him at right. That’s why we move him a little bit. But he’s playing high level football right now at left tackle.”
Sewell’s performance at left tackle is a significant part of why the Lions are tied for the league lead at 32.8 points per game and No. 4 in yards per game at 393.8.
At 3-2, the Lions will host the division rival, 4-2 Packers on Sunday afternoon.
