Detroit Lions 2025 camp preview: Will LaPorta see more targets and who claims third TE job?

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Over the next couple of weeks, leading into the start of training camp, we're going to take a position-by-position look at the Detroit Lions' roster.

We'll analyze the projected starting situation, highlight a key camp battle, explore a burning question, and set a statistical over/under for the upcoming season.

Today, we’ll be looking at the tight ends.

Who is on the roster?

Sam LaPorta, Brock Wright, Kenny Yeboah, Shane Zylstra, Zach Horton, Luke Deal

Starting lineup outlook

The Lions run a lot of two-tight-end formations with LaPorta and Wright dominating the playing time and passing-game targets.

LaPorta is unquestionably the centerpiece at the position. Despite a dip in production from his record-setting rookie year, he’s still one of the premier receiving threats at the position, and a willing blocker in the run game, if nothing else.

Wright, meanwhile, has averaged more than 500 offensive snaps the past three seasons, peaking at 583 in 2024. He’s a blocker, first and foremost, offering minimal contributions as a receiver. He’s finished with just 13 receptions each of the past two seasons.

Camp competition to watch

There haven’t been many opportunities for a third tight end to contribute since LaPorta came on board. In 2024, the other tight ends combined for fewer than 200 offensive snaps, led by Zylstra’s 109.

This offseason, the Lions brought in Yeboah from the New York Jets to compete for that role. Zylstra and Yeboah offer contrasting styles. The incumbent is a former college receiver who has consistently demonstrated the ability to contribute in the passing game on the practice field over the past few years.

Yeboah, meanwhile, is a bigger, more physical player who had plenty of success as an in-line blocker for the Jets. The decision could boil down to the identity they want from that spot, in addition to how Zylstra and Yeboah fare on special teams. For what it’s worth, Yeboah’s contract carries significantly more guarantees, but probably not enough to influence the roster decision.

Horton and Deal will also get a fair shot, but the two undrafted rookies will have to close a lot of ground to overtake the veterans.

A burning question

Whether LaPorta catches 60 or 90 passes hinges less on his ability and more on how much the Lions throw the ball and how frequently his number is called compared to the team's other weapons. Travis Kelce has long been the guy in Kansas City. The Raiders threw to Brock Bowers 132 times last season out of necessity. The Lions, meanwhile, have Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs to feed, in addition to LaPorta.

So, while it's fair to wonder if Detroit's young star can come close to replicating his rookie production, it's also worth noting he was more efficient last year, catching a higher percentage of his targets and gaining more yards per grab.

I'm more interested in the potential impact of position coach Tyler Roehl. The biggest area of potential growth for both LaPorta and Wright is as blockers. That was a point of emphasis for the previous position coach, Steve Heiden, but Roehl has an equally strong background in blocking, both as a player and a coach. If he can elevate the performance of Detroit's tight ends in this area, the entire offense will benefit.

Setting an over/under

LaPorta receiving yards: 825

Quarterback Jared Goff only attempted 539 passes last season, his fewest per game since his rookie year. Some of that was schematic, while another part of it was scoreboard-driven.

Odds are, given the difficulty of Detroit’s 2025 schedule, they’ll need to throw it more this season. That alone should boost LaPorta’s production from the 726 receiving yards he finished with last season. But with Williams and Gibbs now a bigger part of the offense, and potentially a few more balls going to Tim Patrick and rookie Isaac TeSlaa, LaPorta won’t have an easy path to threatening his franchise record of 889 yards, set during his rookie year in 2023.