Is Sam LaPorta playing this week? Lions TE's status revealed for Week 11 clash

Sam LaPorta has become one of the NFL's best tight ends in just one and a half seasons. His impeccable combination of size and athleticism makes him a nightmare for opposing defenses. He is too fast and agile for defensive lines and too big and strong for secondaries, with only some linebackers matching up with him.

In nine games, he has proven reliable, catching 25 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. In the Lions' messy game against the Houston Texans last week, he even had some tackles as Jared Goff kept on throwing picks.

Sam LaPorta's Week 11 injury status

On Friday, the Lions announced that LaPorta would be sitting out the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a shoulder injury.

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The injury occurred in the aforementioned game against the Texans, after which he claimed it was "nothing major." Meanwhile, coach Dan Campbell was initially less optimistic:

“I don’t know how significant it will be," Campbell said. "This is not, you know, he’s going to be out four weeks or whatever. Maybe he might miss this week. We’ll see. He tried to go back in, and it just wasn’t quite right.”

But on Monday, he seemed to have changed his tone.

"We don't feel like this is something like, 'Oh, man, this going to be a long, nagging injury.' I think we'll get through it," Campbell said.

Still, it would turn out to not be "nothing major." LaPorta missed consecutive practices on all three days to land on the bench.

In his place, Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra are expected to share positional duties.

Other players besides Sam LaPorta on Week 11 injury list

Besides Sam LaPorta, three more players will miss Sunday's game:

DT Brodric Martin (knee)
CB/S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle and finger)
CB Emmanuel Moseley (pectoral)

Linebacker Ben Niemann remains questionable with an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who was absent from the Texans game with a shoulder injury, was a full participant on Thursday and Friday after being limited on Wednesday as he recovered.

Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee) and cornerback Carlton Davis (hand) were also cleared for duty.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

Know More

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Edited by Ribin Peter