The Detroit Lions are off to a hot start in 2023 with a 4-1 record through five games. Jared Goff and the Lions are on the road in Week 6 to face the Buccaneers. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been his top target this season, but rookie TE Sam LaPorta is not too far behind.
St. Brown missed Week 5 for the Lions, but that didn’t stop the team from scoring 42 points. Sam LaPorta had three catches for 47 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Panthers. However, the rookie popped up on Thursday’s injury report for Detroit and did not practice. NFL insiders say the 22-year-old is dealing with a calf injury.
There’s a chance that Sam LaPorta is not available in Week 6 vs. the Bucs
One to watch: #Lions impressive rookie TE Sam LaPorta did not practice today with a new calf injury. He was not on the report yesterday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 12, 2023
In five games with the Lions this season, Sam LaPorta has been a consistent target for Jared Goff. He’s been targeted 31 times this season and has 25 catches for 289 yards and three touchdowns. LaPorta has the second-most receiving yards for Detroit this season after Amon-Ra St. Brown (331). He’s quickly become one of Jared Goff’s favorite weapons on offense. However, his playing status for Week 6 is in jeopardy.
During practice earlier in the week, LaPorta was not listed on the injury report. His calf injury was something new on Thursday and that’s not what the Lions want to see. Reports say that LaPorta did not practice on Thursday and calf injuries can be tricky. It could come down to a game-time decision to see if the rookie is able to play vs. Tampa Bay.
Detroit Lions Thursday practice report ⬇️
Key news: TE Sam LaPorta did not practice today with a calf injury
NO PRACTICE:
LaPorta, Branch, Gibbs, Jackson, Knight, Mitchell, Moseley, RagnowFULL PRACTICE:
St. Brown, Decker, Dorsey pic.twitter.com/gErU0T6NGT— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) October 12, 2023
If Sam LaPorta is able to play, the Lions do have a backup TE with NFL experience. Brock Wright is in his third season with Detroit and has made 16 career starts. He only has five catches for 35 yards this season. Wright had 18 catches for 216 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 2022. The 24-year-old played in all 17 games last season and made 10 starts. Detroit will be on the road this Sunday to face the Buccaneers at 4:25 p.m. EST.
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