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After missing back-to-back practices ahead of their Week 11 matchup with the Jaguars, Detroit Lions star tight end Sam LaPorta is officially ruled out of the contest due to a shoulder injury, per NBC Sports.
LaPorta exited Week 10 against the Texans early after sustaining a left shoulder injury, eventually leading him to miss the entire week of practice heading into Week 11.
For a Lions offense led by one of the top offensive minds in the league, Ben Johnson, LaPorta will be missed. The second-year tight end has been an important weapon for the league's second-highest-scoring offense. This season, while dealing with a few minor injuries, LaPorta has accumulated 25 receptions, 366 yards, and three touchdowns.
However, with an offense including Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, and David Montgomery, the loss of LaPorta wouldn't have been as impactful had they not already had this arsenal of weapons for quarterback Jared Goff.
This will be an injury to monitor, as the Lions look like the team to beat in the NFC, sitting at 8-1. If LaPorta is expected to miss an extended period, it could spell trouble for the Lions down the road.
But, as previously mentioned, they're a team that can technically afford to lose a weapon, considering the talent across the board on this roster.
Offensively and defensively, the Lions have shown to be one of the best in the league, and that's with LaPorta being somewhat quiet compared to his rookie season last year.
How can Lions hurdle obstacle of missing Sam LaPorta in Week 11?
Though LaPorta set a rookie record last season for receptions by a tight end (86), his role has been toned down a notch this year. Whether that was an intentional move by Johnson and the Lions is unknown.
The more likely reasoning is due to the return of third-year receiver Williams returning to action in 2024 after playing in just six games his rookie season and making 10 starts last year.
Williams has faced injuries and off-the-field obstacles at the beginning of his NFL career. However, in just five starts this season, he's outperformed the first two years combined.
Through seven games and five starts, Williams has hauled in 20 passes for 414 yards and three touchdowns, making him a key weapon to this offense.
Along with Williams, the Lions' dual-threat backfield is one of the top reasons why this offense has been so tough to stop. Between Montgomery's power and Gibbs' speed, the Lions have one of the best running-back duos in the league.
Along with a strong rushing attack, Goff has played nearly perfect this season, aside from last week's turnover-heavy performance against the Texans.
There's no doubt the Lions will miss LaPorta in Week 11 against the Jaguars, but with Jacksonville coming in as one of the weaker teams in the NFL, there could be tougher opponents to match up against without their star tight end.
