The Detroit Lions, owners of one of the NFL’s top offenses, were hit with significant bad news just a day before their crucial Week 11 showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Detroit revealed that standout tight end Sam LaPorta has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he will be out for at least four games. LaPorta has been among the league’s most productive tight ends this season, ranking near the top in receiving yards (489), receptions (40), and touchdowns (three).
Because of the IR designation, LaPorta is set to miss several high-profile contests, including:
The Sunday night battle with Philadelphia,
The Thanksgiving Day rivalry game against the Packers in Week 13,
And a Thursday night meeting with the playoff-hopeful Cowboys in Week 14.
The earliest he can rejoin the lineup is Week 15 versus the Rams.
LaPorta’s absence creates a major void in a Detroit passing attack ranked 10th in the league. He trails only Amon-Ra St. Brown in receptions, targets (49), and receiving yardage, and sits third on the team in touchdown catches.
With their top tight end unavailable, the Lions are expected to rely heavily on Brock Wright, the only other Detroit tight end with a reception this season. Wright has posted nine catches on 11 targets for 71 yards and two scores in nine games.
The team is also anticipated to promote Shane Zylstra from the practice squad. Zylstra, 28, has spent all three of his NFL seasons with Detroit, accumulating 15 receptions for 116 yards and four touchdowns during that span.
