LaPorta and the Lions have broken off contract talks after several weeks of discussions, and the tight end now is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
LaPorta's 2025 campaign came to an abbreviated end after Week 10 due to a back injury, for which he underwent surgery in mid-November. He then operated with limitations in the final phases of the offseason program before receiving full clearance at the start of training camp. Through three games in 2026, LaPorta has put together a 14-144-1 line on 19 targets, ranking third on the team in all four categories behind WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and RB Jahmyr Gibbs.