Detroit Lions 2026 NFL Draft Need Analysis: Tight End
Could the Lions be in the market for a TE in the draft given the injury to Sam LaPorta?
The 2026 NFL Draft is fast approaching which makes it a good time to review the Lions' positional needs and how it may impact their draft strategy. Last year, defensive tackle got the biggest combined need score , and the Lions indeed filled that position in the 1st round with Tyleik Williams. For the complete offensive positional breakdown, read Detroit Lions 2026 Draft Needs: OFFENSE Positional Rankings + Injury Impact.
The following is the review of the TE position. The combined need score is the summation of positional need (0-5) plus medical concern level (0-5). The higher the score, the greater the need.
I’m reserving the focus to the starters and key backups here, with health of the starters weighted more heavily. (In parentheses are player age at the start of the 2026 season, signed-through year, and medical concern level. ) *Projected starters.
Tight End * Sam LaPorta (25, 2026, 9/10) - The herniated disc surgery creates uncertainty on multiple levels with recovery, reliability, blocking performance… and a potential contract extension which would have been a sure thing pre-injury. Brock Wright (27, 2026, 2/10) - His season-ending trachea injury shouldn’t be a problem for 2026. Tyler Conklin (31, 2026, 2/10) - Older, but very reliable.