By Blessing 
A Weakened Offensive Line Could Spark a Breakout Year for Sam LaPorta
The Detroit Lions are entering the 2025 season with a noticeable void on their offensive line—particularly in the middle. And while that’s an obvious red flag for a team that’s leaned heavily on trench dominance, it might quietly set the stage for a massive season from one of their rising stars: tight end Sam LaPorta.
Detroit knew changes were coming. They lost veteran guard Kevin Zeitler to the Tennessee Titans during free agency, and that alone meant replacing a key contributor with Pro Bowl experience. But the situation only got murkier from there.
Graham Glasgow’s future with the team had already been under scrutiny after signs of regression in 2024, and then came the gut punch: All-Pro center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement. Just like that, the anchor of Detroit’s offensive line—one of the NFL’s most consistent and reliable—was gone.
Now, the Lions are staring at an uncertain interior, featuring a mix of young, untested talent, a declining Glasgow, and newcomer Trystan Colon. It’s far from the powerhouse unit Detroit relied on while becoming one of the league’s most explosive offenses.
This development could hurt Detroit’s offense overall—but for LaPorta, it may open a window of opportunity.
LaPorta exploded onto the scene as a rookie, hauling in 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns—a performance that earned him All-Pro honors. But his second season saw a dip in production, partly due to a reduced role in the passing game. His targets dropped by 37, and he finished with 60 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns.
Still, optimism around LaPorta remains high, especially with John Morton stepping in as Detroit’s new offensive coordinator. Morton has a history of leaning on his tight ends. The last time he called plays as an OC, he funneled plenty of targets toward Austin Seferian-Jenkins—who, while solid, doesn’t hold a candle to LaPorta’s talent and versatility.
But it’s not just Morton’s arrival that could fuel a bounce-back season. The instability on the offensive line might work in LaPorta’s favor in an unexpected way.
Now, usually, when a team has protection issues, tight ends are forced into more blocking responsibilities. That was the case last season with Mark Andrews, whose numbers dipped as he stayed in to protect more often. However, LaPorta’s situation is different.
Because Detroit’s pass protection issues are concentrated in the interior, LaPorta—lining up more often at the end of the line—won’t be the one asked to help guard those gaps. Instead, the burden will likely fall on running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to stay back and chip in as blockers.
That dynamic could open things up for LaPorta. With the backs sticking around to protect Jared Goff, fewer routes will be run out of the backfield, meaning fewer short-yardage targets going elsewhere.
LaPorta operates in that same short-to-intermediate range. His career average depth of target (ADOT) is 7.0 yards, putting him in direct competition with running backs and slot star Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose ADOT was 7.7 last season. If the backs are blocking more often, LaPorta stands to benefit.
Plus, when a quarterback is under pressure—especially from the interior—he tends to lean on quick, safe throws. That also bodes well for a reliable target like LaPorta, who thrives on quick routes and timing plays.
This situation could become even more critical in big matchups. Teams like the Eagles, Chiefs, Ravens, Rams, and Buccaneers all bring dominant defensive tackles who will challenge Detroit’s reshuffled line all game long. In those moments, Goff will likely look to LaPorta as a security blanket—especially in tight, competitive contests.
Sure, Detroit’s offense may not be quite as dominant if the interior line falters. But out of that adversity, Sam LaPorta might rise. If things fall his way, he could very well finish the season as the league’s top tight end.