Lions training camp: Sam LaPorta begins to look sharper after slow start

The Detroit Lions’ training camp began with a sluggish feel, but one of the team’s key offensive pieces is starting to look more like himself. In Tuesday’s session, Sam LaPorta was a focal point in team work, and the early impression from camp reporting was that he is “starting to shake rust,” a phrase that captures the idea of a veteran still re-finding timing as the grind of August continues.

According to Yahoo Sports’ training camp notes, Tuesday was also one of the shortest practices in the Dan Campbell era, with the Lions only getting in about an hour of work before the team decided to call it a day. The brevity mattered for how the day was paced, with fewer full-team reps and a tighter window for building chemistry across units, especially with skill players who often need continuity from day to day.

LaPorta’s recent turnaround is being framed less as a single standout moment and more as a trend, following what was described as a slow start to camp. For Detroit, that matters because the tight end position in the Lions’ offense is rarely just about one type of play. The role typically involves creating leverage in the passing game, providing a reliable outlet, and being part of the protection and run-game reads that help the rest of the formation operate with confidence.

In practical terms, starting to “look like himself again” usually points to timing and physical sharpness, particularly for a player who needs to be in sync with the quarterback and the rest of the passing structure. When a camp begins unevenly, it can be harder to lock in routes, work cadence, and get consistent separation, especially for players who must coordinate with multiple receivers and blockers.

The Lions’ decision to keep Tuesday’s session short also fits the way teams often manage the early-to-mid part of camp. Even when a team is working hard, there are long-term goals that matter more than a single day’s volume, such as keeping players fresh for later install periods and balancing work across offense and defense. For observers, a short practice can also compress what “progress” looks like, meaning fewer reps have to carry more significance.

For fans watching this stage of camp, the key takeaway from the report is that LaPorta appears to be trending upward, while the overall practice flow in this particular day was unusual for its length. The next question is whether the improved look becomes consistent over successive practices, not just a moment where the sharpness returns before the tempo changes again.