The Detroit Lions have gone through one of the best rebuilds in the NFL in recent years, working through the draft to return to contention. They earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC in 2024, thanks to a 15-2 record, although their season fell short early in the playoffs to the Washington Commanders.
A big part of that success has been a booming offense that ranked as one of the best in the NFL under former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, with several younger pieces stepping up into big roles.
One of those players is 2023 second-round pick Sam LaPorta, who has quickly developed into one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, going for 86 catches, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns as a rookie before following that up with 60 receptions, 726 yards, and seven scores this past season.