On Thursday, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell offered an injury update on a couple of players, but none were more important than his star tight end, Sam LaPorta. Per Campbell, LaPorta suffered a hip injury in practice recently, and the team is holding him out to let it calm down.
“He got hit in the hip, and it just flared up a little bit. It’s aggravated, but we feel good long-term about him,” Campbell said. “We’re just—we’ll rest him for a little bit right here, letting it calm down.”
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But when asked if the injury could hold him out at the start of the regular season, Campbell was non-committal.
“I don’t know,” Campbell said. “I feel like we’ll be okay, but I don’t know.”
LaPorta spent the majority of his offseason recovering from back surgery after that injury caused him to miss the final eight games of the 2025 season. The Lions certainly felt his absence then, so it’ll be a tough blow if he misses any time to start the season.
“He’s a stud,” quarterback Jared Goff said earlier this training camp. “He had a good play down the field today on third down, and he’s a stud. He’s the same guy every day and continues to get better like they all do and got to find ways to give him the ball.”
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Elsewhere, Campbell noted that reserve guard Ben Bartch is in concussion protocol, and his ability to contend for the starting left guard job is now in jeopardy.
“That window is shrinking right now,” Campbell said. “The most important thing is for him to get to where he feels right again and to where he can go.”
Finally, Campbell gave an update on rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder. While the former Michigan Wolverine expressed optimism that he could practice as soon as next week from his hamstring injury, Campbell wasn’t quite as hopeful.
“Probably unlikely,” Campbell said of his chances to practice this training camp. “He’s doing well. He is progressing well, but I think it’ll be hard-pressed to see him next week.”
He did say, however, that he sees Rolder being available early in the season.
