After making the incredibly smart move to extend former Hawkeye star linebacker Jack Campbell, the Detroit Lions have one more crucial move to make to lock up another former Hawkeye star.
The Lions locked up their star linebacker with a four-year, $81 million extension that guarantees $20.25 million per year. Campbell became the latest Hawkeye to sign a massive contract, following center Tyler Linderbaum's huge three-year, $81 million free agent deal he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Former Hawkeyes are getting paid all across the NFL, and another former Hawkeye, and Campbell's Detroit teammate, should be the next in line.
The Lions need to lock up Sam LaPorta before it's too late
Even after signing Campbell to an extension, there are still a few members of the 2023 recruiting class that Detroit has to extend. One of those players is talented running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and a former star Hawkeye tight end.
Sam LaPorta is entering the last season of his rookie deal, but one NFL insider is confident a deal is going to get done sooner rather than later.
"The Lions still wanna get deals done with Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 22, 2026
I would think that Jahmyr Gibbs would get a deal at some point this summer" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/eYk1NLloDl
During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that the Lions want to get a deal done with LaPorta, signaling that both sides are actively engaged in extension talks.
Detroit's general manager, Brad Holmes, has consistently stressed the importance of drafting and developing players rather than spending massive amounts in free agency, and during his tenure, the Lions have been very proactive in keeping their players in-house.
Detroit will have to open up the checkbook once again to keep LaPorta from walking out the door for nothing after next season, but the money will be well-spent. Despite having prolific pass-catchers in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, LaPorta has been a productive weapon for Jared Goff and the Lions' offense.
For LaPorta, everything hinges on being healthy, and even though he has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons, his numbers speak for themselves. In 42 games for the Lions, LaPorta has tallied 186 catches for 2,104 yards (11.3 per catch) and 20 touchdowns.
He has proven to be one of Goff's favorite targets when healthy, and the Lions must get a deal done. If they don't, LaPorta won't have a shortage of suitors, as every NFL team can use a prolific pass-catching tight end.
The only drawback to inking LaPorta is that it would limit Detroit's ability to spend big in free agency, but Detroit has never really done that anyway. It could easily be a situation where Detroit wants to extend starting running back Jahmyr Gibbs first, and use some of the money after that deal to lock up LaPorta.
There haven't been any inclinations that either side doesn't want to get a deal done, and Schefter's assertions about a new extension is good news for Hawkeye fans. Both deals could easily be done in the summer, and it would a very smart move for the organization to keep one of the top NFL tight ends in the Motor City.
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