The Detroit Lions taking on the defending champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the most anticipated matchups of Week 11. However, the Lions might be shorthanded as they would possibly be without star tight end Sam LaPorta, who is currently injured.
LaPorta has been big for the Lions this season, already having 40 receptions on 49 targets for 489 yards. This has led him to score three receiving touchdowns for the Lions already. If he misses the Week 11 showdown against the Eagles, Jared Goff will be without one of his most consistent targets.
What Happened to Sam LaPorta?
Reports indicate that Sam LaPorta suffered an unspecified back injury during the Lions’ Week 10 victory over the Washington Commanders last week. He did not practice at all the entire week and was soon ruled out for Friday. He was then placed on the injured reserve (IR), which means that he would definitely be missing that Week 11 showdown against the Eagles.
This means that Sam LaPorta will be inactive for several games, though there is a big possibility that he will return later this season, just not against the Eagles.
Who is Sam LaPorta’s Backup Today vs. the Eagles?
With Sam LaPorta out for a few weeks, starting tight end duties are expected to fall on the shoulders of his backup, Brock Wright, a solid tight end who has garnered much praise from Lions head coach Campbell.
“Brock’s a guy we don’t talk a lot about, but he’s the jack-of-all-trades. He does everything for us — pass protect, run block, he can run some routes, he plays special teams,” he said. . “He’s one of the most dependable players we have on this team.”
That is some high praise. However, Wright’s availability for the game against Philly still hangs in the balance, as his status for that Week 11 showdown is still questionable.
When is Sam LaPorta Expected to Be Back?
Being placed in the injured reserve means a player would be inactive for at least four games, with bye weeks not counting. With the Lions not having any bye weeks in the next few weeks, Sam LaPorta should be eligible to return around Week 15, which is against the Los Angeles Rams.
However, there is still no indication that this injury would actually take four weeks to heal, so it is possible that the tight end might be out for much longer.
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