2026 NFL free agency preview: Lions could be on the hunt for another TE, given incoming OC's affinity for the position
The NFL’s negotiating window for pending free agents opens on March 9, and players will be eligible to sign with new teams on March 11 at 4 p.m.
Ahead of those dates, we’ll preview each position, looking at the top options expected to hit the market, the Detroit Lions’ pending free agents, plus three outside players who could be fits.
Today, we’ll be looking at the tight ends.
Quick overview
Detroit is blessed to have a top-shelf tight end in Sam LaPorta, although there’s some level of lingering concern after he required season-ending back surgery. At this point, the early prognosis has been encouraging. He should be healthy for training camp as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
LaPorta is supplemented by Brock Wright, also entering the final year of his current contract. He sees plenty of usage, logging more than 400 offensive snaps each of the past four seasons, but he’s only had a small role in the passing game, averaging 14.5 receptions during that stretch.
Presumably, with incoming coordinator Drew Petzing’s affinity for personnel packages that utilize more than one tight end, the Lions will be in the market for a third this offseason, whether via free agency or the draft.
Top players available
Kyle Pitts
Reports came out Monday that Pitts will be getting the franchise tag from the Falcons, effectively taking him off the board.
Projected to be the next great star at tight end, it hasn’t worked out that way for Pitts. After a solid rookie season, where he finished with 68 catches and what is a still career-high 1,026 yards, he struggled to find a consistent role in the Falcons offense.
Pitts is coming off his best season since his rookie year, with career bests in catches (88) and touchdowns (five). There’s undeniable upside and elite athleticism. Paired with incoming coach Kevin Stefanski, there’s potential for a post-hype breakout.
Dallas Goedert
Goedert has spent all eight years of his career with the Eagles after the franchise selected him in the second round of the 2018 draft. Good, never great, he’s never had more than 60 catches or 830 yards. He was also never a top scoring threat before exploding for 11 touchdowns last season.
If you’re looking for an all-around option to stabilize a room, he’s a great choice, but at 31 years old, you know exactly what you’re getting.
Isaiah Likely
A long, lean receiving tight end, Likely can make contested grabs, do damage after the catch and is functional as an in-line run blocker.
Travis Kelce
It’s difficult to imagine Kelce playing anywhere except Kansas City. If he plays in 2025, the future Hall of Famer and four-time All-Pro should easily pass Jason Witten for the second most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history.
David Njoku
A former first-round pick, Njoku has spent nine seasons in Cleveland. Always more potential than production, he peaked at 882 yards and six touchdowns during a Pro Bowl campaign in 2023. However, for his career, he’s averaged closer to 40 catches and 450 yards per season.
Turning 30 this offseason, with an extensive history of injuries, including knee issues that have caused him to miss 11 games the past two seasons, he’ll probably struggle to find a multi-year offer on the open market.
It’s worth noting, Petzing was Njoku’s position coach in 2020 and 2021.
Detroit’s pending free agents
Shane Zylstra
The former college receiver has been with Detroit since going undrafted in 2021. Bouncing between the team’s practice squad and active roster, he’s appeared in 35 games, catching 18 passes for 136 yards and four touchdowns, with all four of the scores coming during the 2022 season.
Anthony Firkser
The 31-year-old veteran completed a second stint with Detroit after joining the team as a midseason injury replacement in 2025. His production peak came in 2020, when he hauled in 39 balls for 387 in Tennessee.
Despite catching eight of 10 targets last season, he’s unlikely to be in Detroit’s future plans.