Tag: Penei Sewell

Lions-Buccaneers initial injury report medical analysis

Lions-Buccaneers initial injury report medical analysis, including info on Penei Sewell, Jameson Williams, Ifeatu Melifonwu and more

A minuscule Week 1 injury report has ballooned in Week 2. Overall, most of the injuries are likely mild, which is good news.

Penei Sewell NO PRACTICE ankle, OT

Obscured video suggests Sewell had a right high ankle injury. He didn’t miss any plays.

High ankle injuries can be tricky as they can cause instability. Even mild ones can result in missed time, like we saw last year with Taylor Decker and Jonah Jackson, who both finished games but then missed two and three games, respectively.

 

Jameson Williams LIMITED PRACTICE ankle, WR

Williams was down for a bit after a tweak to the left high ankle. Players can play through them but still end up missing future games.

I expected that he may get some precautionary rest this week. The LP vs an NP is an excellent sign that he will be available with minimal to no limitations vs the Bucs.

DJ Reader FULL PRACTICE quad, DT

Our most prized free agent signing is expected to make his debut almost exactly nine months from his quad tendon tear on December 16, 2023.

Expect Reader’s snaps to be limited as he has only been practicing for three weeks. Easing him into the season would be a prudent move to try to avoid any further injury.

Kerby Joseph NO PRACTICE hamstring, S

Joseph was in until the final defensive play so hopefully this means it’s nothing serious.

Marcus Davenport NO PRACTICE groin, DE

Davenport was in on the penultimate defensive play vs the Rams. No signs of injury, so severity is uncertain. After only playing four games last year, he needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Carlton Davis FULL PRACTICE chest, CB

Landing on his elbow could have caused the wind to get knocked out of him or a slightly more serious rib cartilage or abdominal injury. The fact that he was listed with a chest means it was a bit more than just wind. The FP suggests he is good and it was probably just a mild bruise.

Ifeatu Melifonwu NO PRACTICE ankle, S

With a possible ankle sprain suffered in the 2nd preseason game, Melifonwu is still not practicing — not a good sign for this weekend.

Loren Strickland FULL PRACTICE thumb, S

This undrafted rookie looks to be ready for this weekend. He may end up making his debut, depending on the health of Melifonwu and Kerby Joseph.

NOTABLES UNLISTED

Terrion Arnold

Against the Rams, Arnold laid down briefly for unknown reasons as nothing showed up on video. He appeared to be reaching for the left hip and upper leg area but this was inconclusive.

Brian Branch

Branch stayed down for an extra second this past Sunday after what appeared to be a hard hit to the side of the head which was worrisome for a concussion. There were no external signs of a concussion on the limited video.

Being unlisted is a reassuring sign that he avoided a concussion although it doesn’t rule out an undiagnosed concussion. Without external signs, a doctor can not diagnose a concussion unless the patient self-reports symptoms. Either way, he should be available on Sunday.

Alex Anzalone

Anzalone was sandwiched awkwardly while making a tackle on Sunday night. The video was benign and it’s good to see nothing came of it.

Dan Campbell Wednesday Press Conference Notes

No injuries were discussed at all. James Houston‘s preseason bone bruise injury was not brought up as a factor when Campbell discussed his inactivation in week one.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Calijah Kancey NO PRACTICE calf, DT

Kancey missed week one with this calf injury.

Last year, he had a calf strain in training camp that took four weeks to recover from. Then in his first game back on week one, he aggravated it and missed the next three games.

With this kind of directly relevant personal history, I expect the Bucs to play it very safe and not even consider playing him this weekend.

Antoine Winfield Jr NO PRACTICE ankle, S

This important starter will miss the game on Sunday due to an ankle injury.

Zyon McCollom LIMITED PRACTICE concussion, CB

An LP means that he will likely pass through the concussion protocol and be ready for Sunday.

Josh Hayes NO PRACTICE ankle, DB

Hayes left last game with an ankle injury and was later seen in a boot which is not a good sign for availability this weekend.

KJ Britt LIMITED PRACTICE illness, LB

William Gholston LIMITED PRACTICE elbow, DT

Luke Goedeke LIMITED PRACTICE concussion, OT

Logan Hall LIMITED PRACTICE foot, DE

NOTABLES UNLISTED

Bryce Hall CB fractured his ankle this past weekend and was placed on IR.

FANTASY IMPACT

The Bucs have major secondary issues as four defensive backs were injured in their last game. At least two will not play (Hall, Winfield) and likely three (Hayes). Also likely out is Calijah Kancey, a good pass rushing DT.

This could open the door for Williams to have another big game or for St. Brown to make his typical impact. Kalif Raymond and Sam LaPorta likely will benefit also.

Last year in the playoff game vs the Bucs, St. Brown had 8 receptions for 77 yards, LaPorta had nine for 65, and Williams two for 35. Raymond did not play due to a right knee injury.

If the Bucs decide to drop more players back to protect the secondary, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery could capitalize in the running game. Last year in the playoffs, Gibbs had a big day with nine rushes for 74 yards and four receptions for 40 yards while Montgomery had ten rushes for 33 yards and three receptions for 14 yards.

Regardless of who gets the yards, the offense is primed to bounce back after gaining only 293 yards in regulation against the Rams.

Lions vs. Rams Monday postgame medical report

Lions vs. Rams Monday postgame medical report with updates on Carlton Davis, Penei Sewell, DJ Reader and more

Despite having to play extra time to get a tough win, the Lions exited the Rams game in very good shape and there are no medical concerns for me at this time. Here are my initial thoughts on players that may have suffered injuries during the game, along with the time stamp for the injury.

Carlton Davis 4q 00:11

Davis was a concern when he left the game after going down at the end of regulation. There was only one defensive play after that, which made it hard to assess the severity.

On video, after Davis let the ball slip through his hands, he landed hard on his elbow which could have caused the wind to be knocked out of him. The worse case would be a rib cartilage or ab injury. No concerns for an elbow injury as it was protectively flexed at time of impact.

After the game, Davis confirmed to Colton Pouncy that it was just wind and he is fine.

Jameson Williams 2q 4:53

On video, Williams’ left high ankle was mildly tweaked due to a slight external rotation. He continued to play with no ill effects, although he did make the Rams feel sick in the 3rd quarter with a 52-yard TD catch.

Jamo might need some extra rest this week but should be full-go vs the Bucs. With the Bucs secondary suffering multiple significant injuries this past weekend, Williams may be headed for another big day.

Penei Sewell 1q 3:09

Obscured video showed Sewell possibly getting his right leg rolled up on which can cause a high ankle sprain. He limped a bit but missed no plays. After the game, he was walking up the tunnel with no obvious limp and there was no report of seeing him in a walking boot.

Recall last year that Taylor Decker and Jonah Jackson both suffered high ankle injuries and finished the game, but were seen in a walking boot afterwards and missed multiple games. Early signs are good that Sewell avoided significant injury and very likely will be available vs the Bucs.

Brian Branch 4q 13:24

No good replays here but the game video showed Branch taking a hard hit possibly to the left side of his head. He missed no plays, but a mild concussion is possible.

As is often the case with mild “bell rung” concussions, it requires the patient to report symptoms for a diagnosis to be made by a doctor. I’m not expecting Branch to miss any time unless he self-reports symptoms.

Terrion Arnold 3q 5:13

Video showed Arnold lying on his back possibly with pain to the left hip or leg but hard to say. I reviewed that play along with all the previous plays of that drive and there were no signs of injury, although TV angles are notorious for not showing the secondary.

He missed two plays and finished the game with no problems.

Alex Anzalone 3q 6:30

Anzalone was briefly down after getting awkwardly sandwiched while making a tackle. His right knee did land hard but he missed no plays and nothing is too concerning on video. Of note, he has had a chronic right shoulder issue since his college days and always wears a shoulder brace.

 

Dan Campbell Monday press conference tidbits

DJ Reader is on track to play this Sunday vs the Bucs. There were no other medical updates or surprises.

The Lions name their team captains for 2024

The Lions name their team captains for 2024, including Aidan Hutchinson as a first-time captain

The Detroit Lions officially named six players as team captains for the 2024 season. For a strong contender with most of the primary players returning from a year ago, it was pretty easy to predict who would get selected to be captains for the coming year.

As selected by the players and coaches, the Lions captains for 2024:

  • QB Jared Goff
  • WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
  • RT Penei Sewell
  • EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
  • LB Alex Anzalone
  • LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (special teams)

All but Hutchinson were team captains in 2023. No. 97 joins the captaincy circle, taking the place of now-departed veteran Charles Harris.

The Lions social media team had some fun with the announcement of the captains, as they are wont to do…

https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1830690119956701378

Lions projected starting offensive line graded as best run blocking group

Lions projected starting offensive line graded as best 2023 run blocking group

The Lions are going to sport one of the most explosive passing offenses in the league this season, led by quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Their run game figured to be just as good and deserves more love.

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery will once again provide one of the best one-two punches in the backfield. But the key to their run game is going to be their offensive line, led by their two stalwart tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker.

Those two, along with Graham Glasgow, Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler, combined for the best offensive run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus during the 2023 season.

The gap between the Lions and the second-highest team, the Atlanta Falcons, is noticeable. More than five points separate the two teams. The Lions had the top run-blocking tackle in Sewell and the top center in Ragnow among players that played at least half of their team’s offensive snaps.

The Lions are going to move people up front. Even with the change from Jonah Jackson to Zeitler, the former Raven was still one of the better run blockers last season. The Lions will be just fine in the run game.

Penei Sewell: More good news on his injury status

Sewell left Wednesday’s scrimmage with a foot injury, but new reports indicate it’s not serious

The good news keeps coming on the Penei Sewell injury front. The Lions All-Pro right tackle appears little worse for the wear from his foot injury suffered in Wednesday’s practice.

After a report later on Wednesday that Sewell was “good”, there is even more clarity on what the definition of “good” is for the big man. Eric Woodyard of ESPN reports that Sewll “suffered a rolled ankle” and has “no issues” beyond it. Woodyard notes that Sewll had an MRI already.

It’s definitely a welcome note and sigh of relief. Sewell was not expected to play at all in Saturday’s preseason finale even before the injury. Second-year OT Colby Sorsdal is expected to play significantly in Sewell’s spot against the Steelers, as he has in the first two preseason contests.

Report on Lions OT Penei Sewell: ‘He’s good’ after foot injury

Report on Lions OT Penei Sewell: ‘He’s good’ after suffering a left foot injury in Wednesday’s practice

Breathe deep, Lions fans. Calm the pulse, keep the heart rate in check and swallow the fear that swept across Lions fandom on Wednesday afternoon.

When news broke out of the final Lions practice of the preseason that All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell left the session with a foot injury that required further evaluation, it set off panic alarms. Fortunately, an initial report from well-sourced Lions reporter Justin Rogers indicates things should be fine.

“He’s good,” Rogers quoted a Lions team source regarding Sewell and his injured left foot.

That’s an optimistically ambiguous statement. The same basic message was shared about cornerback Terrion Arnold after he suffered a chest injury nine days ago in practice, and he still hasn’t returned to action. However, it’s a great harbinger that Sewell’s injury isn’t a serious one that will require any surgery or extended absence from the lineup.

Detroit kicks off the regular season on September 8th, which gives Sewell 18 days to heal up and get ready for the Rams.

Penei Sewell suffers foot injury in Lions final scrimmage

Penei Sewell suffers foot injury in Lions final scrimmage

The final practice of the Detroit Lions training camp/preseason schedule was a de facto scrimmage. Unfortunately, even in the more controlled environment than a preseason game, the Lions suffered a real injury scare.

All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell suffered a foot injury in the second half of Wednesday’s practice. Sewell stayed down after a pass play and required attention from trainers.

Eventually, Sewell walked off very slowly under his own power. He is being evaluated for a foot injury.

The Lions have no more media access before Saturday, when Detroit hosts Pittsburgh in the preseason finale.

Lions Frank Ragnow snubbed on the NFL Top 100

Lions All-Pro center Frank Ragnow is a glaring snub from this year’s NFL Top 100 list

Whenever I see power rankings, position rankings and things of that nature, I always take it with a grain of salt. Not everyone is going to agree with those lists or rankings and more often than not, everyone tends to be a little different with how they rank a team or a player.

That said, the NFL and the players that vote on the NFL Top-100 players got it wrong by not having Frank Ragnow on their list this year. As of now, the top 10 is still set to be revealed, but the way it sits, there are only two interior offensive linemen in the top 100.

I’d be curious what the criteria is to make the NFL Top-100. Is it data and analytical rankings from sites such as Pro Football Focus (PFF)? Or is it based off the number of games played? Could these rankings be strictly based off the film?

Whatever the case may be, Ragnow is better than just about everyone at his position. Especially now that Eagles’ longtime center Jason Kelce retired. But when you look at the PFF grades for centers in the NFL, Ragnow led the way in 2023 with an 88.1 overall grade.

If you go to the film, you can see multiple reps on every single drive where Ragnow just dominates the opposition. Whether it’s physically driving defenders into the dirt or just having proper positioning to climb the second level and seal off linebackers and safeties.

Look at the play above where Ragnow gets up to the second level and clamps onto a linebacker with ease. He stays square, keeps his hands tight and inside and then he shows off his grip strength by being able to steer and drive the defender. The defenders in the NFL would be lying if they said there’s no game plan or preparation needed for Ragnow.

Meanwhile, he’s tough as nails. During the Lions playoff game against the Buccaneers in 2023, Ragnow suffered a sprained knee and ankle in that game. While he missed a few plays to get checked out by trainers, he came back in and finished the game. In fact, he made one of the key blocks from his knees on Vita Vea during a 4th and 1 run play from the Bucs half-yard line. This block helped keep running back Craig Reynolds clean long enough to enter the end zone for a touchdown.

You can call me biased or a fanboy, but the fact remains that Frank Ragnow should be rated as one of the top 100 players in the NFL. Certainly, the list means nothing to Ragnow but he should still be given a tip of the hat by his peers and by the league for his toughness and dominance at his position. If he can stay healthy, I’d expect that same dominance from the Lions 7-year veteran.

[lawrence-related id=108912]

Penei Sewell lands at No. 22 Top 100 NFL Players list

Penei Sewell lands at No. 22 Top 100 NFL Players list

Penei Sewell was rewarded with a new contract for his play on the field and now he has been recognized by his peers as one of the best players in the NFL. The Lions’ right tackle landed at No. 22 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024, his first appearance on the list.

Sewell is coming off an All-Pro season, one in which he was charged with just one sack allowed, per Pro Football Focus. The former Oregon tackle and No. 7 pick of the 2021 draft has quickly become one of the top tackles in the league, starting every game since coming into the league and is now a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Sewell signed a four-year extension worth $112 million ($85 million guaranteed) this offseason to make him the highest-paid offensive tackle in NFL history.

Sewell joined wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the top 25 of the list. The Sun God was right behind Sewell at No. 23. Overall, Sewell was the fifth Lion revealed on the list.

  • TE Sam LaPorta – No. 80
  • QB Jared Goff – No. 48
  • DE Aidan Hutchinson – No. 47
  • WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – No. 23
  • OT Penei Sewell – No. 22

With 20 players still to be revealed, could we still see left tackle Taylor Decker, who also just signed a new contract?

Overall, the Lions’ breakthrough 2023 season has given them a lot of respect throughout the league.  They already have more players on this list than they did last year (Goff, St. Brown, Hutchinson).

REPORT: Tristan Wirfs, Bucs nearing extension agreement

Star left tackle Tristan Wirfs and the Buccaneers are nearing a deal for a contract extension according to the Tampa Bay Times.

It is only a matter of time, but according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, the Buccaneers and Tristan Wirfs are close to completing a contract extension that would like make Wirfs the highest paid offensive tackle in the NFL. The Times’ Joey Knight even ventures that a deal could be done before Tampa Bay’s first padded practice of training camp tomorrow.

There are very good reasons for both sides to get a done as soon as possible. Wirfs wants long-term job security, to avoid injury and the possibility of playing on the franchise tag next year. The Bucs want to lock in one of the best pass-blockers in the NFL and the cornerstone of their offensive line.

Some of the deals signed earlier this offseason should provide some glimpse into a likely Wirfs contract. Lions right tackle Penei Sewell signed  a four-year, $112 million deal averaging $28 million per year, the most ever for a tackle. Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw just signed a four-year, $104 million deal, which included less overall money but guaranteed slightly more.

The details of Wirfs’ extension are likely the main culprit for the tardiness of an agreement. The Bucs probably want a four- or five-year deal with more money loaded into the backend to relieve their salary cap next year. Wirfs may want more cash up-front and a shorter deal so that he can hit free agency once more before he turns 30.

While these details have drawn out negotiations, there is little question a deal will get done. General manager Jason Licht said on WDAE that Wirfs deserves to be the “highest-paid” tackle in the NFL, a distinction he also made when talking about Antoine Winfield Jr. before making him the highest-paid safety. Time is the only real thing separating Wirfs and a long future with Tampa Bay.