Head coach Jim Caldwell said Ebron appears to be dealing with a hamstring injury, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron left practice early Sunday and subsequently missed Monday's session too with what was previously coined as an undisclosed injury. The severity of his situation isn't clear, so it isn't certain how long he could be out for, but in the meantime Darren Fells and Cole Wick should continue to work with the first-team offense.

Ebron (undisclosed) did not practice Monday, ESPN's Michael Rothstein reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron exited early from Sunday's practice after suffering an undisclosed injury, which apparently was significant enough to keep him sidelined Monday. At the moment, it remains unclear exactly what is bothering Ebron, so an update on that front should be worth watching out for.

Ebron left Sunday's practice with an undisclosed injury, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Coach Jim Caldwell said he believed it was a hamstring injury, but we may not receive confirmation on that until Monday. His availability for training camp moving forward remains unclear, so it will be something to monitor over the next few days. Ebron is fully expected to open the season as the Lions' top tight end if healthy.

Ebron figures to occupy an expanded role in the Lions offense now that wideout Anquan Boldin is no longer with the team, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron could benefit most from Boldin's absence in the red zone, as the big-bodied Boldin hauled in a team-high eight touchdowns last season, using the slot position to feast on underneath routes. With him gone, and the Lions adding fellow tight ends Darren Fells and Michael Roberts to take on blocking duties, the athletic yet imposing Ebron should be free to assume Boldin's vacated short-yardage receiving role. That would figure to help Ebron improve on his seven touchdowns through 40 career games, and with a contract extension also potentially on the horizon, he has some extra incentive to elevate his game.

Ebron believes the addition of tight ends Darren Fells and Michael Roberts should help him this upcoming season, Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press reports. "I think it's going to play a significant role for me to allow me to do the things that I'm best at," Ebron said.

EDGE Analysis

Last season, Ebron was the top gun in a tight end group that included very little established talent behind him. Due to this predicament, the 2014 first-rounder couldn't always to play to his strengths because he was often the only tight end on the field and subsequently was responsible for the bulk of the position's duties as both a receiver and a blocker. With Fells around, Detroit has one of the most reliable blocking tight ends in the league. Roberts, on the other hand, is a massive target who caught 16 touchdowns during his final season at Toledo last year and can hold his own in the run game, too. Whether it's by using more two-TE sets or subbing Ebron off the field entirely, both Fells and Roberts could be utilized in a fashion that allows Ebron to stay fresh and focus on his strength as a pass-catcher.

The Lions informed Ebron that they would exercise his fifth-year option, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The organization was on the fence about committing to Ebron through 2018 after a mostly disappointing first two seasons in the league, but the Lions apparently saw enough growth in his performance in 2016 to justify keeping him in the fold a little longer. Aside from adding Michael Roberts in the fourth round of last weekend's NFL draft, the Lions haven't made many major additions at tight end during the offseason, so Ebron once again looks primed to open the upcoming campaign as the team's starter. His 2016 totals of 61 catches and 711 yards were nice, but he'll need to elevate his touchdown total (one) if he hopes to become an upper-tier fantasy tight end.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn said the team hasn't decided if it will exercise the fifth-year option on Ebron's contract, Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press reports. "It's a possibility," Quinn said. "We're still in the process of evaluating Eric's situation. We have until May 2, so we'll use our time."

EDGE Analysis

The Lions' decision could depend on what the team does in a draft which offers a strong crop of tight ends. The 10th overall selection in the 2014 draft, Ebron has been held back by injuries, drops and shaky blocking through his first three seasons, but he did catch 61 of 86 targets for 711 yards and a touchdown in only 13 games last year. While he hasn't developed quite the way the Lions were hoping, the 24-year-old tight end is already a capable starter and seemingly possesses untapped upside. Ebron's fifth-year option would lock him in for 2018 at a salary around $8-9 million, but the Lions could potentially lower that cap hit by working out an extension.

Ebron and the Lions could discuss a contract extension in the coming months, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2017, making his future with the Lions an increasingly pressing issue. According to general manager Bob Quinn, the organization is open to entering negotiations with Ebron down the line, making his situation one to monitor over this offseason. The tenth overall pick in 2014, Ebron has been plagued by nagging injuries and dropped passes through his first three seasons, but he showed signs of turning the corner with career-bests of 61 receptions and 711 yards this past year.

Ebron's goal for next season is to go for 1,000 receiving yards, ESPN's Michael Rothstein reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron's 711 yards this season marked the most in any of this three professional seasons, as did his 61 receptions. That production came thanks to fewer drops, which made him a more reliable target for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Even though opposing defense started to scheme for Ebron over the course of the campaign, his development certainly took a step forward this season, and he'll have the added motivation of playing in the final year of his contract next season. That being said, Ebron has missed at least three games each year since entering the league, which could make it tough for him to reach the 1,000-yard mark, something only two tight ends did this season.

Ebron caught two of six targets for 23 yards during the Lions' 26-6 postseason loss to the Seahawks on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Much like the rest of the Lions offense, Ebron wasn't able to find his stride Saturday going against the league's eighth-ranked defense in yards allowed per game. No matter, the 2016 season still goes down as a success for the third-year tight who set career highs in receptions, receiving yards and yards per catch. His glaring knock comes in the touchdown department where Ebron tallied just a single score, but with Anquan Boldin set to hit free agency, the tight end could experience positive regression in that facet of his game next season as one of the clear focal points of the Lions' passing attack.