Tag: Penei Sewell

Eye-opening video shows major shift in Lions draft war room from 2019

Eye-opening video shows a major shift in Lions draft war room from 2019 and the new regime of Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell

Two years ago, there was a video posted by Tristin McKinstry on YouTube and it shows the Detroit Lions War Room for the 2019 NFL Draft compared to the Lions’ draft war room from the 2021 NFL Draft.

The differences aren’t just eye-opening; they’re night and day.

Looking back at the video from 2019, everything felt uncomfortable. The conversations between General Manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia felt odd or forced. Additionally, when they spoke to T.J. Hockenson before the selection, it was just awkward. Neither conversation with Hockenson felt genuine or personable. Lastly, the reaction from other people in the war room makes it feel like part of the room wasn’t on board with the Lions’ selection of the Iowa tight end.

Fast forward to 2021 and the energy from head coach Dan Campbell and General Manager Brad Holmes just feels different. They’re amped up about the selection of Penei Sewell and they just give off this genuine vibe that they really want this player in Detroit. Nothing feels divided or forced and most importantly, everyone seems aligned with the direction Campbell and Holmes are taking the team.

You can watch the video below and tell us if you can spot the differences between the war rooms.

Lions send the right message by rewarding Sewell, St. Brown with new contracts

Lions send the right message by rewarding Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown with new contracts, and St. Brown loves the message

In one fateful Wednesday afternoon, the Detroit Lions found themselves responsible for the highest-paid wide receiver and highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL. The Lions handsomely rewarded Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell for their stellar play and continuing growth into elite talents.

It’s money well spent. Not only are Sewell and St. Brown part of the dynamic young core of top-end talent in Detroit, but the commitment to them shows the NFC North champs aren’t going anywhere but up. That’s a very appealing message to players, both those already in Detroit and those who might want to join the Lions.

St. Brown was asked what it says about the Lions that they were successful in paying out over $230 million to him and right tackle Penei Sewell in one afternoon.

“The Lions are good. They’re taking care of their guys, their strength,” St. Brown said at an event sponsored by USAA near the draft on Thursday afternoon. “You will be rewarded with good play. And not just good play, but being a leader and a great teammate and doing everything right, every day.”

St. Brown continued,

“Those are the guys we want in the locker room. I think they’ve done a great job of doing in the last three years. Drafting in guys that bring that same type of commitment and energy and leadership to the locker room. I feel like that shows on the field. We’ve gotten better every year. We’ve got to keep going.”

By rewarding their own and prioritizing in-house production and the team chemistry and cohesion, the Lions are sending the message to the rest of the NFL that 2023’s ride to the precipice of the Super Bowl was not a fluke.

New Lions OT Giovanni Manu draws inspiration from All-Pro Penei Sewell

New Lions OT Giovanni Manu draws inspiration from All-Pro Penei Sewell, a fellow Polynesian

Giovanni Manu has a very interesting path to becoming a fourth-round pick of the Detroit Lions. From a boy growing up in Tonga to playing high school basketball in western Canada, it’s a very unusual background for an NFL offensive lineman.

Manu is a proud Tongan, and his Polynesian heritage is fiercely important to him. That’s something he’s got in common with the man he’s now backing up in Detroit, All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell, who is of Samoan heritage.

Tonga and Samoa are near one another in the South Pacific. Manu noted that proximity when talking about how appreciative he is to land in Detroit with Sewell. Manu considers him a massive role model and influence on his life.

“Yeah, I look up to Penei a lot. I do study a lot of his film,” Manu tolkd reporters over draft weekend. “I think he’s the best tackle in the league right now. He moves so fluid for how big he is and not just that, but he’s an inspiration to the Polynesian community.”

Manu specifically cited Sewell’s draft process and how open he was about encouraging kids just like him.

“I remember when I was in college, I watched his Draft Day process, and it was just basically a vlog of his whole day of being drafted. I remember he ended the vlog by saying, ‘Any Polynesian kids out there,’ and he named all the islands and I remember he said Tonga. He said, ‘If you kids out there want to make it to the NFL, you can truly make it if you put your mind to it.’

And I remember I was in my second year of college when he said that, and I remember him saying that. It really motivated me, and I told myself, ‘If one of my fellow Polynesian brothers can make it, which is him – and he’s giving me words of motivation, there’s no reason why I can’t do it either.’ So, he’s a true inspiration, not only to Samoa, but to the whole Polynesian community. And it’s great that I’ll be playing with a guy like that, and I just hope to soak up as much information and technique from him.”

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Every Oregon Ducks player selected in the first round of the NFL draft

A total of 23 Oregon players have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft over the years. Here’s a look at the exclusive Duck club.

It’s become a yearly tradition over the past several years, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon.

On Thursday night, the streak of Oregon Ducks being selected in the first round of the NFL draft continued when the Denver Broncos selecting quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick. This is the fifth year in a row that Oregon has had a Duck drafted in the first round.

Nix is the 23rd Oregon Duck in school history to be drafted in the first round.

A year ago, it was cornerback Christian Gonzalez who became the 22nd player in Oregon Ducks’ history to be selected in the first round of the draft. He was also the fourth consecutive player to go in the first round for the Ducks, dating to 2020 when Justin Herbert went to the Los Angeles Chargers. Penei Sewell went to the Detroit Lions in 2021, and Kayvon Thibodeaux was drafted by the New York Giants in 2022.

Over the decades, there are almost two dozen men of Oregon who have heard their names called in the opening round of the draft. Here’s a look at the Duck legends.

How Penei Sewell’s new contract impacts Bucs, Tristan Wirfs

Penei Sewell’s new contract sets a new bar for offensive tackles, but the Bucs and Tristan Wirfs will soon reset the mark yet again

The Detroit Lions just set a new bar for offensive tackle contracts, signing Penei Sewell to a new four-year deal that will pay him around $28 million per season, including $85 million in guaranteed money.

This news is sure to grab the attention of Bucs offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is also expected to get a new long-term contract extension of his own at some point this year.

Sewell’s deal will likely provide a framework for the one Wirfs will get from the Bucs, and since his deal will be the next one, it’s likely his reps will want to reset that bar with higher numbers.

This won’t come as a surprise to Bucs general manager Jason Licht, who will obviously hand Wirfs the equivalent of a blank check to keep the All-Pro left tackle in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future. Wirfs is off to a Hall of Fame start over his first four seasons in the league, and shouldn’t ever wear another jersey.

It won’t be shocking if Wirfs’ new deal comes in closer to $30 million per season, with guaranteed money that exceeds what Sewell just got from the Lions.

And he’ll be worth every penny.

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Penei Sewell becomes the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman

The Detroit Lions and RT Penei Sewell agree to a contract extension ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft

It’s been a busy day of spending for the Detroit Lions. Hours after making Amon-Ra St. Brown the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, the Lions agreed to a contract deal with right tackle Penei Sewell.

Reports indicate Sewell will be the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league. The four-year contract is worth a reported $112 million for Sewell, with $85 million guaranteed. The 76 precent guarantee is a very lucrative deal for Sewell, who is still just 23 years old.

Oregon legend Penei Sewell becomes highest-paid OL in NFL history with Detroit Lions

Former Duck and current Detroit O-lineman Penei Sewell is about to become the richest O-lineman in the history of the NFL.

We knew Penei Sewell is a large human and now his contract will match the former Oregon Duck’s size.

According to ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions is set to extend Sewell for another four years worth $112 million, $83 million guaranteed, making it the largest contract for an offensive lineman in league history.

Sewell will be entering his fourth season in the NFL after being drafted No. 7 overall by the Lions, who were floundering at the time. But in three short seasons, Detroit is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They narrowly lost in the  NFC Championship Game a year ago.

Sewell has been to the Pro Bowl twice already and has made one All-Pro team as well.

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The Lions are one of the biggest wildcards in the 2024 NFL Draft

The Lions are one of the biggest wildcards in the 2024 NFL Draft, and that’s a positive change for Detroit

Throughout the NFL Draft process, there’s a lot of predictions on what will happen on the opening night of the 2024 NFL Draft. Much of these predictions come from the results of mock draft simulators. It’s a great exercise for fans, draft analysts or even your mechanic that doesn’t watch football.

The downside is that it provides this sense of conviction that a mock draft simulator is one-hundred percent accurate and that only the few players you target time and time again are the players that will be drafted by your favorite football team.

When in reality, we’re all guessing. Even your favorite football teams are guessing. Not every team knows what another team is thinking. In the process, everyone tries to connect the dots but the draft board doesn’t always fall in favor of what you want. It tends to go sideways and for the Detroit Lions, this year will be different approach from what we’ve seen in previous years.

Much of that is due to the fact that this is latest first round selection the Lions have had under their new regime.

In 2021, the Lions picked 7th overall and were lucky enough to land offensive tackle Penei Sewell. In 2022, they had the 2nd overall pick and were able to pick defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Meanwhile, they had an additional pick in the first round in 2022 and 2023 for the trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Rams.

With that, the Lions surprised everyone in 2022 and moved up to the 12th overall pick to select wide receiver Jameson Williams. To follow, they held the 6th overall pick in 2023 and traded back six spots to select running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Using that extra pick in the first round of 2023, they selected linebacker Jack Campbell at 18th overall.

Sure, we can say the Lions got lucky on some selections and then got creative with others. Regardless, they stay true to who they are as a football team. Under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, they have created an identity in what they look for in a person and in a football player. Not every team can say that and it’s probably why the Lions are finding success with so many of their younger players on the roster.

But when you look at previous drafts, nobody thought they’d walk away with Jack Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams as first round picks. It’s just reassurance that the Lions are a true wildcard when it comes to the NFL Draft.

In fact, they may be the biggest wildcard. This year will be no different. Without a glaring need, you could make the case for the Lions to select some younger talent at offensive line with the 29th pick. However, there’s going to be a run on offensive lineman and there’s a chance that we see 10 of them off the board by the time the Lions are on the clock.

Certainly, the Lions could use some help on defense whether it be another pass rusher or potentially a defensive back but will the board fall in favor of the Lions to not have to reach for one of those players?

Then there’s the surprise factor. No, I don’t expect the Lions to go after a tight end, running back or quarterback in the first round but a month ago, it would have been more surprising to see them go after a wide receiver. Now, I’m not sure that’s the case. Could they move up for a pass catcher such as Adonai Mitchell from Texas or Brian Thomas Jr., from LSU?

With Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, anything and everything is on the table. One thing is for sure, don’t get caught up on talking about “exactly” what the Lions are going to do because we don’t exactly know. And to be honest, I don’t think they do either. Their approach will be different but it will be fun and at the end of the day, we should all just want the the Lions to draft good football players.

Lions’ Penei Sewell tosses out first pitch for Detroit Tigers home opener

Detroit Lions lineman Penei Sewell earned the honor of tossing out the first pitch for the Detroit Tigers home opener

Last year brought plenty of reasons for celebration for the Detroit Lions. They clinched their first division title, made a formidable push in the playoffs, and secured numerous All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections. As the draft approaches, the Lions are poised to bolster their roster with key additions to complement an already robust core, aiming to silence any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of their previous season’s success and address any unfinished business.

One standout player who has captured the hearts of fans since being drafted by the Lions in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft is Penei Sewell, a cornerstone of the team’s resilience and formidable presence, which has elevated the Lions’ offensive line to among the league’s best. Despite being just 23 years old, Sewell serves as a vocal leader for the squad, rallying his teammates with his boundless energy and unwavering spirit.

Given his infectious attitude and uplifting demeanor, it was a natural choice when the Detroit Tigers invited Sewell to throw the first pitch at their home opener. With the Tigers off to a strong 5-1 start to the season, anticipation is high as they prepare to take on the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park. With Sewell in attendance, his presence is likely to inject an extra dose of energy not only into the players but also the fans, creating an electric atmosphere for the game.

We have seen this before with the Detroit Red Wings, who brought Lions like Aidan Hutchinson, Ben Johnson, and Jameson Williams to ring in the game by setting off the goal horn. Each of them brought them luck as the Red Wings went on to win each of those games.

Will Sewell be able to bring in the same luck for the Tigers for the home opener? Just have to wait and see, but I’m sure the energy is electric for some afternoon baseball.

Why Jordan Mailata’s contract extension with the Eagles impacts Penei Sewell and the Lions

Why Jordan Mailata’s contract extension with the Eagles impacts Penei Sewell and the Lions

Everyone knows that the Lions and All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell will reach a contract extension in due time. It doesn’t have to happen this offseason, though it could; Sewell is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, and the Lions can still exercise the fifth-year option on their prized right tackle if they so choose.

When the two sides do sit down to hammer out a new deal, one of the ways the value gets set is by comparable contracts. It’s akin to the housing market, basing value off similar homes that have recently sold. One of the deals that will certainly get used as a comp just happened on Thursday with the Philadelphia Eagles and left tackle Jordan Mailata.

The Eagles and Mailata agreed to a three-year, $66 million contract extension, with $48 million guaranteed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. It is loaded up with a $20 million signing bonus.

The $22 million per year average vaults Mailata into the top five highest-paid offensive linemen. Mailata is certainly a deserving talent, no doubt about it. However, he’s already 27 years old and has never made a Pro Bowl, let alone an All-Pro team, in his four NFL seasons.

Sewell is still just 23 years old and has already earned first-team All-Pro and two Pro Bowl berths in his three seasons in Detroit. He can rightly claim that he deserves more than Mailata in any extension talks. The $22 million per season with 72 percent fully guaranteed figures to be well below the new base floor for any Sewell extension.

It’s the percentage that is guaranteed that is more significant for Sewell and the Lions. At 72 percent, that blows away the 57 percent that Giants LT Andrew Thomas got on his $117.5 million deal he signed in 2023. That’s the current top contract for tackles in total value. Mailata’s deal more closely resembles what Laremy Tunsil signed with the Texans in 2023:

3 years, $75 million, $60 million guaranteed (80 percent)

What makes Mailata’s deal important for Sewell is the precedent of the larger percentage of guaranteed money. Other recent high-end offensive tackle drills have not had anything close to that level of guaranteed value. Jack Conklin got just 21 percent of his $60 million deal in 2022, while Jake Matthews received 48 percent guaranteed on his three-year, $55 million deal that same year. The Chiefs guaranteed half of Jawaan Taylor’s four-year, $80 million contract last offseason. None of those players are at Sewell’s level.

It would be difficult for the Lions to approach Sewell with anything less than 75 percent fully guaranteed on whatever the final value of the deal might be. The higher the guaranteed value, the larger the cap hit will be–even if the Lions do their customary void year additions to the actual deal.