The Lions are prepared to move one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL from the right side of the line to the left after parting ways with longtime left tackle Taylor Decker. And Dan Campbell is "very confident" that Penei Sewell can make that switch.
"That’s easy," Campbell told reporters Monday at the NFL meetings in Arizona "I’ve talked to him. We are ready to do that, if need be. I don't want to say that right now I’m going to commit to that, but we’re ready to do that. And all he wants is a couple days to work his left-handed stance a little bit. It’s a little bit like riding a bike for him. He’ll be fine. He’ll bank some reps and be able to do it. But he gives us that flexibility. If you’re asking me, I’d like to move him, I would. I’d like to move him to left."
Sewell played left tackle in college when he won the Outland Trophy as the best offensive lineman in the country in his final season at Oregon. He also started the first eight games of his NFL career at left tackle when Decker was injured and stepped in for Decker again for two starts in 2023.
Protecting "the backside of your quarterback" isn't the be-all, end-all of a good offense, said Campbell, because elite edge rushers line up on both ends of the line and the offense runs plays to both sides of the field.
"But I do think just knowing that Sewell’s back there, what Decker’s been able to do for all those years, you see some of those where he’s able to anchor and (Jared) Goff is kind of their back-to-back, and he makes those throws, he steps up. There’s a security blanket there, subconsciously," said Campbell. "To know who’s back there and to feel like, ‘OK, even if I feel that backer, I’m good,’ I just think it brings a little extra security. And most of the time, if (the pressure) doesn’t go that way, at least you know where it’s coming from, or you can feel it, if I’m the quarterback. It’s all in front of me."
With Sewell poised to bounce to the left, the vision for the Lions is to start either newcomer Larry Borom or a high draft pick at right tackle next season. GM Brad Holmes recently lauded Borom's performance at right tackle for the Dolphins last season and confirmed that the Lions view him as a potential starter after they signed him to a one-year, $5 million deal.
"Seeing what he did at Miami, especially at right tackle, and then when you start looking at the film, like, man, this is probably about the most consistent ball that I've seen him play," said Holmes. "So then you start taking a deeper dive of him at right tackle, even in the past, and you start seeing this level of consistency versus the guard spots or the left tackle spots."
Sewell, 25, is entering year six in the NFL. Close to 90 percent of his career snaps have come at right tackle. His willingness -- and ability -- to bounce to the left is a testament to his team-first mentality. He's been elected a captain by his teammates each of the past three seasons.
"It’s big," said Campbell. "You don’t get that everywhere, with every player. But it also shows how special he is. And he’s done it. He’s played left before. Hell, his first year here with us when Decker went down, he played left as a rookie, he banked real reaps against real guys at left tackle, adapt and adjust, and then he goes to right.
"And I know it’s been years, yeah, there will be a little rust maybe at first. He’s going to be fine. The guy is phenomenal, and he’s going to work on it until he gets it the way he wants to where it feels like the right side."
