Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill thinks Sam LaPorta may have another level in him.
The Detroit Lions’ 2023 rookie class was fantastic in 2023, and two of the players who drew the biggest headlines were Sam LaPorta and Brian Branch.
The Lions have re-shaped their secondary this offseason, adding Carlton Davis as well as Amik Robertson. While the opportunity has presented itself for another addition, Branch will most certainly be expected to take on a bigger role in 2024. To that end, there’s talk of him seeing some reps at safety.
Interestingly enough, McNeill may have saved his biggest praise for LaPorta when asked about him.
Alim McNeill thinks Sam LaPorta may have another level in him
LaPorta set every record for a Lions’ tight end, rookie or otherwise, last season. He also set the NFL record for receptions by a rookie tight end (86).
Those numbers may have been good, but Long is anticipating even bigger things in the future thanks to LaPorta’s unique ability as a top-end pass catching threat and willingness as a blocker. As he said, in the next five years, LaPorta might just become the league’s best tight end.
McNeill totally agreed, and he’s anticipating even better things from LaPorta in Year 2.
“Oh 100%, (Sam) LaPorta, I’m trying to see where he comes back next year, because I don’t know how much better he can get. But, like if he comes back next year with more speed and he’s bulked up, it’s over with.”
LaPorta was a dominating presence as a rookie, and that only serves to make him a scarier matchup with more experience and a more NFL-ideal body. As a defender, McNeill paints a frightening picture of just how good LaPorta could become.
Campbell likes current cornerback room, could still add competition
Head coach Dan Campbell feels pretty good about the cornerback room in Detroit with the additions of veterans Carlton Davis III and Amik Robertson to pair with Brian Branch, Emmanuel Moseley and others.
But Campbell did say this week at the Annual League Meetings he’d still like to see some additions to that room to promote more competition.
“Certainly, there are still some guys we are looking at in free agency that can bring in some competition,” he said. “That may or may not be done before the draft.”
Campbell also said the release of Cam Sutton “brings up the urgency for another player who can compete.”
Xavien Howard, J.C. Jackson, Stephon Gilmore, Steven Nelson, Adoree’ Jackson and Ahkello Witherspoon are a few veteran cornerbacks still available in free agency.
The Lions could also look to the draft. General manager Brad Holmes has selected a cornerback in each of his three drafts in Detroit so far.
Even with additions likely coming, Campbell likes the current makeup at cornerback after acquiring Davis and Robertson.
“We got to play him twice and I was in that division as well before that. Just myself alone, I had a good feel of Carlton,” Campbell said of the trade for Davis that sent a third-round pick in 2024 to Tampa Bay with the Lions receiving sixth-round picks in 2024 and 2025 in return.
“We didn’t want to really throw at him. We know he’s a good cover guy and he’ll tackle on the perimeter. There are things that he can do where he can take a little bit of his side away at times. Just to have some of that goes a long way for the rest of the defense and what AG is going to be able to call. That’s really something we feel like we haven’t had here since we’ve been here.”
The Lions were in conversations with Robertson’s representatives when the legal tampering window opened. When the Davis trade happened, Campbell thought they might have lost the chance to sign him, but that didn’t end up being the case.
“One of the things I loved is we were going back and forth with Amik and then we made the Carton trade,” Campbell said. “We were like, ‘We’re going to lose Amik. I mean we just traded for a corner.’ And he was like, ‘Are we going to get this done or not?’ He wanted to come because to him he’s coming in to compete to start. He wants to come in and earn his right. I love that about this kid. He fits us 100 percent.”
Campbell said Davis, Robertson, Branch and Moseley (when he returns from a torn ACL suffered last season) give defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn flexibility to mix up coverages and give him more options than he’s had in previous seasons.
