The Detroit Lions have one of the best tight ends in the NFL in fourth-year player Sam LaPorta, but LaPorta is coming off a back surgery and is scheduled to become a free agent next offseason. No. 2 tight end Brock Wright is entering the final year of his contract in 2026.
New Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing prioritized the tight end position in his last stop in Arizona, utilizing 12 personnel (two tight ends) and 13 personnel (three tight ends) among the highest rates in the NFL. The Cardinals ranked in the top 10 in 12 personnel usage and No. 1 in 13 personnel last season.
Petzing developed Trey McBride into a league-leading tight end in receptions and yards in 2025 by using him creatively in the offense, which included down-field routes and heavy tight end packages.
It's a nice group of tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft that's maybe a little short on elite talent but long on depth. If the Lions look to solidify the position, they should be able to do so in Day 2 or Day 3.
Top 5 tight ends to watch at the Combine:
1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6-3, 245
Sadiq brings instant-impact speed and athleticism to the position with the versatility to move around and even stand up in the slot. One of the things that jumps out watching him is his run-after-catch ability. He's a playmaker with eight touchdowns for the Ducks last season.
View photos of the tight end prospects who were invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
Utah TE Dallen Bentley (88)
Texas A&M TE Nate Boerkircher (87)
Alabama TE Josh Cuevas (80)
Georgia TE Oscar Delp (4)
Penn State TE Khalil Dinkins (16)
Texas TE Jack Endries (88)
Wyoming TE John Michael Gyllenborg (84)
SMU TE Matthew Hibner (88)
N.C. State TE Justin Joly (7)
Ohio State TE Will Kacmarek (89)
Oklahoma TE Jaren Kanak (12)
Tennessee TE Miles Kitselman (87)
Ohio State TE Max Klare (86)
Michigan TE Marlin Klein (17)
Houston TE Tanner Koziol (9)
SMU TE RJ Maryland (82)
USC TE Lake McRee (87)
Indiana TE Riley Nowakowski (37)
Notre Dame TE Eli Raridon (9)
TCU TE DJ Rogers (0)
Stanford TE Sam Roush (86)
Cincinnati TE Joe Royer (11)
Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq (18)
LSU TE Bauer Sharp (10)
Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers (9)
Baylor TE Michael Trigg (1)
Mississippi TE Dae'Quan Wright (8)
2. Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, 6-4, 235
Stowers is a former quarterback who knows offensive football and how to be an open, friendly target for the QB. Stowers won the Texas 6A state championship in high jump in high school and will impress teams with his measurables at the Combine. He caught 111 passes for 1,407 yards and nine touchdowns the last two seasons.
3. Max Klare, Ohio State, 6-5, 243
Klare is a high upside tight end with good athletic traits and receiving ability. He averaged 13.4 yards per catch on 51 receptions in 2024 at Purdue and caught 43 passes for 448 yards this past season for the Buckeyes.
4. Joe Royer, Cincinnati, 6-5, 250
His size and athleticism could make him a matchup problem for defenses and he knows how to use his frame and shield defenders. Royer needs to continue to improve his run blocking to reach his true potential but he caught 79 passes for 937 yards and seven touchdowns the last two seasons.
5. Dallen Bentley, Utah, 6-3, 262
Bentley is a versatile tight end with a solid overall game as a pass catcher and run blocker, which teams will like about him. He was seventh among all tight ends nationally in receiving yards and 10th in receptions with 48 catches for 640 yards and six touchdowns for the Utes this past season.
Combine sleeper to watch: Marlin Klein, Michigan, 6-6, 250
Klein didn't have a ton of production at Michigan, but he's got a massive frame and is likely to test off the charts at the Combine. He was on Bruce Feldman's Freaks List before the season and teams could look at the athletic numbers and his frame and see a player with a lot of upside they could mold.
View photos of Detroit Lions players at the NFL Scouting Combine.
California quarterback Jared Goff runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Iowa State running back David Montgomery runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State offensive lineman Taylor Decker runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
UTSA defensive lineman Marcus Davenport runs the 40-yard dash during the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 4, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Temple defensive back Rock Ya-Sin runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Kansas State defensive back D.J. Reed runs the 40-yard dash during the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Monday, March 5, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Florida linebacker Alex Anzalone runs a drill during the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, March 5, 2017 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
LSU defensive back Jalen Mills runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia offensive lineman Tate Ratledge runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia wide receiver Dominic Lovett runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia offensive lineman Tate Ratledge runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
LSU offensive lineman Miles Frazier runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Ohio State defensive lineman Tyleik Williams runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia wide receiver Dominic Lovett runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Florida linebacker Alex Anzalone runs the 40 yard dash during the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, March 5, 2017 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Michigan offensive lineman Graham Glasgow runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Boston College offensive lineman Christian Mahogany runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Missouri defensive back Ennis Rakestraw Jr. runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 1, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Utah defensive back Sione Vaki runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
LSU defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Iowa tight end Sam Laporta runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Alabama defensive back Brian Branch runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs speaks during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 4, 2023, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo Erin Hooley)
Mississippi State linebacker Tyrus Wheat runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (31) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Oklahoma State defensive lineman Tyler Lacy runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Illinois defensive back Kerby Joseph runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Michigan defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (31) participates in a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Oklahoma State linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (28) participates in the broad jump at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 5, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Auburn defensive back Daniel Thomas runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa State running back David Montgomery runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, March 1, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Pittsburgh defensive back Avonte Maddox participates in the Broad Jump at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Monday, March 5, 2018, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
UTSA defensive lineman Marcus Davenport runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Memphis defensive back Arthur Maulet runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
California quarterback Jared Goff runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Miami defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine Sunday, March 5, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Lions' need at the position: High.
LaPorta, Wright, Thomas Gordon and Zach Horton are the only tight ends currently on the roster for 2026 and none of them are currently signed beyond next season.
An extension could certainly be in the cards for LaPorta at some point in the next year. He said after the season the back injury and subsequent surgery he had that caused him to miss the last eight games of the season shouldn't prevent him from being ready for the start of training camp.
Detroit could certainly look to bring in a veteran to compete for the third spot on the roster out of camp, but it also could be time to get another young, versatile player on a rookie contract who can be LaPorta's long-term running mate if the Lions re-sign him long-term.
Key stat: With Petzing guiding the offense, the Cardinals used two or three tight ends 38.4 percent of the time over his three seasons.
