Concerns About the Lions Offensive Line May Cause Sam LaPorta to Have a Career Year

 

The Detroit Lions’ offensive line changes could cause issues for the team in 2025, but they could also provide Sam LaPorta a breakout season.

This offseason, the offensive line for the Detroit Lions is up against a steep hill. When Kevin Zeitler went to join the Tennessee Titans for the upcoming league season, they knew things would be difficult. The Lions already had one former Pro Bowl player to replace as a result. Graham Glasgow’s status with the club was also questioned after he began to exhibit indications of deterioration in 2024.

After Frank Ragnow declared his retirement, the Lions’ predicament significantly worsened. Ragnow has been a key component of their O-line’s success in recent years and was named an All-Pro the previous season. Glasgow, the recently acquired Trystan Colon, and a number of youthful possibilities are now the Lions’ only options to man the interior of their offensive line. For a Lions team that has relied on the power of its line to win the NFL’s best offensive title, it’s definitely reason for concern.

But for one player in the Lions organization, that worry might not be bad news. Sam LaPorta might have a great year if the Lions can resolve their blocking problems. LaPorta took a slight reversal last season after being named to the All-Pro team as a rookie with 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. His targets dropped by 37 in the second season, and he only managed 60 receptions for 726 yards and seven touchdowns.

Since the Lions appointed John Morton as their new offensive coordinator in 2025, I have been anticipating a rebound in LaPorta’s numbers. The last time he was an OC, Morton gave Austin Seferian-Jenkins a lot of targets, and LaPorta is just a far superior tight end to ASJ. But his numbers might be more significantly impacted by the inquiries over the team’s blocking in the middle of their line. For a tight end, it’s not necessarily a good thing when his team has trouble passing protection. Last season, it was a major problem for Mark Andrews, who experienced a decline in his numbers after being required to block more.