ALLEN PARK — For Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, what a difference a year makes.
The 2023 first-round draft pick excelled as a rookie and now he feels much more comfortable on the field less than a week into training camp.
“Personally when I showed up in the springtime (last year) you’re trying to take in as much information as possible. This year I come back in the springtime, I know a lot of the installs obviously so it was a great steppingstone to start off,’’ LaPorta said on Saturday. “Continuity, it’s great right now, we’re clicking right now, it’s early in camp but we have to keep building on it.’’
In LaPorta’s rookie season he had 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also broke the NFL record for receptions by a rookie tight end, along with breaking Lions’ franchise records for receiving yards and touchdowns by a rookie tight end.
Last season the Lions came up short in the NFC Championship game — one half away from the Super Bowl. While it’s a team game, the offense was key to the playoff run and the 12-5 season.
Quarterback Jared Goff signed a contract extension in the offseason, but not many changes were made to the offense which did lose WR Josh Reynolds.
Wide receiver Jameson Williams is stepping up and put on a show at training camp on Saturday.
“Fast, explosive, he’s getting in and out of his breaks really well. Memorizing his splits, all the little details are really coming along with Jamo and you see that,’’ LaPorta said.
For the tight end, he’s working to refine the details.
“There’s a bunch of guys coming off all-Pro seasons, the top 100 list is coming out, it’s awesome to see so many of our guys on it,’’ LaPorta said. “Just like everybody else, just kind of take small steps forward in a bunch of little aspects in my game. It’s truly what separates the good players from the great players in this league is small increments.’’
He spent a few days in Los Angeles working out with Goff before training camp.
“It may not be actual results that you see on a day-to-day basis, but then when you look back for months and like a calendar year, like goodness this is how we were operating a year ago and this is where we are now just four days into training camp,’’ LaPorta said.
(UP NEXT: The Lions have Sunday off from training camp. On Monday they will wear pads for the first time since camp started on Wednesday.)
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