One of the first orders of business for the Lions in the 2026 offseason will be to extend Sam LaPorta and they could reset the market when the dust settles.
The Detroit Lions have gone through one of the best rebuilds in the NFL in recent years, working through the draft to return to contention. They earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2024, thanks to a 15-2 record, although their season fell short early in the playoffs to the Washington Commanders .
A big part of that success has been a booming offense that ranked as one of the best in the NFL under former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, with several younger pieces stepping up into big roles.
One of those players is 2023 second-round pick Sam LaPorta, who has quickly developed into one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, going for 86 catches, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns as a rookie before following that up with 60 receptions, 726 yards, and seven scores this past season.
LaPorta has been a safety blanket for quarterback Jared Goff, but he can also create quite a few explosives, adding another element to Detroit’s offense. While it’s only been two seasons, the tight end is already developing into a star and could be a Lion for years to come.
The No. 34 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft , LaPorta is only eligible for a contract extension following his third season in 2025, and it might be smart for the Lions to lock him up as soon as possible with the tight end market continuing to skyrocket in recent years.
What could a possible extension for LaPorta look like next offseason if he continues on a similar trajectory?
Baseline numbers for a Sam LaPorta contract extension
The tight end market was reset this offseason by a pair of deals, as Trey McBride and George Kittle were extended by the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers , respectively.
McBride’s deal came first, as he signed a four-year, $76 million extension with $43 million guaranteed. Kittle slightly edged out that deal, getting a four-year, $76.4 million extension with $35 million guaranteed.
Of course, the numbers for LaPorta will depend on how he performs this season. But, assuming he nears or eclipses the 1,000-yard mark again, the Lions tight end could come near or even top the market at the position.
The guarantee structure could be the key to watch here, as McBride’s deal essentially guaranteed the first two years of his contract, while Kittle’s extension has two years guaranteed and is littered with option bonuses that make it likely for him to see the first three seasons.
Projecting a Sam LaPorta contract to start the 2026 offseason
Assuming that he remains a top tight end in the league, he should reset the market if/when he signs his extension next offseason.
With how the market continues to grow, it would make sense for the Lions to jump early on the LaPorta contract if they view him as a building block for the future. He does not have a fifth-year option being a second-round pick, so Detroit would have to extend him next offseason to ensure he doesn’t hit the open market or deal with the franchise tag in 2027.
Looking at the Kittle and McBride deals, it would make sense for LaPorta to potentially be the first $20 million-per-year tight end. The Lions have done several four-year deals for their young stars, such as Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill, and Kerby Joseph.
Three of those players (St. Brown, McNeill, and Joseph) weren’t first-round picks, so Detroit signed them after their third years in the NFL, which would also be the case here.
A four-year deal seems to be a plausible idea with LaPorta as well. If we project a four-year, $80 million deal, the total compensation factoring to five years and $82.04 million when considering the $2.04 million that he is scheduled to make in 2026 on his rookie deal (salary + workout bonus).
That sweetens the deal to average around $16.4 million per year, which is still a significant number, but would be fifth in the NFL among tight ends. The $82.04 million over five years also slightly edges out McBride’s compensation of $81.3 million.
Guarantees will be important, and the Lions will likely use at least void year to spread cap hits out as they’ve done in several of their major deals.
Projection: 4 years, $80 million, $44 million in guarantees