ALLEN PARK — Entering the Detroit Lions’ final game before the Week 6 bye, head coach Dan Campbell has bigger fish to fry than worrying about a contract extension for his star tight end.

Campbell responded on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to an ESPN report from over the weekend that negotiations between the Lions and Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta have hit a snag, saying, “That’s the last thing on my mind right now is what’s going on with all that.”

“There’s always going to be two sides, and you work through these things, and just because there’s a report of that doesn’t mean that’s some big issue, big deal.”

The report stated that it now seems likely that LaPorta will be headed for unrestricted free agency next offseason. “The thought is that a deal is unlikely considering the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement over the first four weeks of the season,” ESPN’s Ian Rapoport wrote.

In Sunday’s 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers, LaPorta had his most productive game of the season, catching eight passes for 84 yards — both season-highs — and a touchdown.

“I love LaPorta. We love LaPorta. He’s a heck of a football player,” Campbell said. “I thought he played his best game the other day. So, his work ethic, his production, speaks for itself.”

LaPorta, a former second-round pick by Detroit in its vaunted 2023 draft, has been one of the team’s most reliable pass catchers and run blockers when healthy. He caught 146 passes for 1,615 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons before a season-ending back injury limited him to just 489 yards and three touchdowns over nine games in 2025.

This season, LaPorta has been back to his reliable self and is showing no signs of the injury that derailed last year’s campaign. He has 32 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns in four games.

Lions at Cardinals

Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. Sunday, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV/Radio: FOX/97.1 FM

Records: Lions 2-2; Panthers 1-3

Line: Lions by 5.5

Series: Detroit leads, 36-28-6 (Last meeting: Lions win, 20-13, on Sept. 22, 2024, in Arizona)

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Sam LaPorta contract: Lions’ Dan Campbell not sweating halted negotiation

Reporting by Nolan Bianchi, The Detroit News / The Detroit News

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