Sam LaPorta injury update: Lions TE 'trending' toward July return
· Yahoo Sports
Sam LaPorta was a partial participant in the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday, June 16, and Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said the tight end could be cleared for the start of training camp next month.
"We like where he’s going," Campbell said before practice. "He’s trending the right way.”
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LaPorta played in just nine games last season because of a herniated disc in his back. He underwent surgery in November and has not taken part in full-speed team drills this spring.
LaPorta worked with the first-team offense during the Lions' 25-minute jog-through period Tuesday, as he has done during open OTA practices the past two weeks.
During seven-on-seven and position drills later in practice, LaPorta worked off to the side with a Lions trainer.
The Lions have six tight ends on their roster, and receiver Jackson Meeks has worked with tight ends during position drills this spring. LaPorta, a second-round pick out of Iowa in 2023, set an NFL rookie record with 86 catches for 889 yards. He has 100 catches for 1,215 yards the past two seasons and is expected to sign a contract extension with the Lions this summer.
Lions add 2 WRs
The Lions signed two UFL receivers after a workout Tuesday, Lucky Jackson and Tarik Black of the league champion Louisville Kings.
Jackson played in three games with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 and had previous stints in the UFL and CFL. He had 32 catches for 392 yards for the Kings this season and averaged 11.9 yards on punt returns.
Black, who played three seasons at Michigan before finishing his college career at Texas, had one catch for 10 yards with the New York Jets in 2021 and has spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sam LaPorta injury update: Detroit Lions TE 'trending' toward return