A mountain of a man, Penei Sewell is almost impossible to move. When Pro Football Focus released its annual ranking of the best players in the NFL age 25 or younger, Sewell didn't budge from the top spot. Which presents a bit of a challenge for the star right tackle in year five of his career: How does he get better?
"Personally, I wanted to get stronger, definitely at the point of attack, both run game and pass game," Sewell said Thursday as the Lions continue offseason workouts. "I just wanted to be more sturdy, while maintaining my conditioning because we get to run more than others at the position. That's the main thing going in, I just wanted to get bigger and stronger."
That's a daunting thought from a mean-mugging offensive lineman listed at 6'5, 335 pounds. Sewell is all-business. He doesn't leave the Detroit area in the offseason. He lives here year-round with his family, which has grown to include three children under the age of four, and spent the past few months "working out with the strength staff" in Allen Park, "just moving big weight fast."
"I'm always trying to up the weight," he said. "Obviously, you've got to be smart with it. There's also some risk going into lifting those types of weights, but I just lean on the guys here, the strength staff, and they do a great job. It's just moving those heavy weights fast."
Sewell, 24, is no longer one of the best young offensive tackles in the NFL. He's one of the best players in the game, a two-time All-Pro who's also a two-time captain for the Lions. Around this time last year, shortly after signing a $112 million extension in Detroit, Sewell set his sights on the Super Bowl and proclaimed, "I want the big boy, and I want it now." The Lions proceeded to win 15 games, but wound up further from their goal than the season prior.
Injuries on defense certainly played a part in that. So did a sloppy showing by the offense in Detroit's playoff loss to Washington. Sewell was so devastated by the result that he could barely bring himself to talk about it the next day. As the Lions cleaned out their lockers, Sewell offered a word here, a word there, all but speaking in a whisper. He acknowledged on Thursday that "last year kind of got away from us."
"Just outside factors and things like that, thinking too far (ahead)," he said. "We've got to come in each and every day, paying attention to details, going back to the basics, and really breaking it down. Once we get together as a team next week, when OTA's start, we can build upon that. It's a day-to-day operation. I just tell the guys that: focus on every little thing before you can move forward."
Sewell is a leader by example. He also knows that his words carry weight, and that time "isn't working with us, it's against us right now." The Lions are breaking in new coordinators on both sides of the ball and potentially two new starters on the offensive line, and don't have the benefit of minicamp after the start of training camp was moved up a week with the team playing in the Hall of Fame Game. With all that in mind, Sewell has been encouraging his teammates, "If you have any questions, this is the time to ask."
"I know we have a certain amount of hours, but I'm pretty sure you could go text Coach, or call me, or ask any type of question you've got about the playbook, or even about the game," he said. "I tell them to use up all the time you can, off-hours I guess, and get the answers you need."
Sewell could be playing next to a rookie right guard this season in Tate Ratledge, after the steady Kevin Zeitler departed in free agency. And Christian Mahogany could be taking over for Graham Glasgow at left guard in year two. Miles Frazier, another rookie, will also be in the mix for playing time. Adding new faces to the room "definitely brings a different dynamic," said Sewell, who's "looking forward to those new relationships and new personalities."
"Then, building upon that, just having them fall in line with what we've got going on here, in terms of the standard, the culture, and what we're all about," he said.
Detroit's offensive line has been one of the best in the game for three years running, which has fueled the team's rise in the NFC North. It's critical that it continues to operate at an elite level under new coordinator John Morton; it helps that O-line coach Hank Fraley is back. After three explosive seasons under Ben Johnson, Sewell said the offense is "getting a feel for (Morton's) personality and his coaching style," and that the early signs are promising.
"We haven't skipped a beat," he said. "He just came in, we're all gelling together right now, and time will tell."
Time might not be on their side this summer, but they still have the advantage of one of the best rosters in the NFL. The Lions can worry about the season when it arrives -- no sense in looking ahead.