In the wake of Taylor Decker's finger injury that will sideline him for the Lions' season opener, rookie Penei Sewell spent most of practice Thursday and Friday repping at left tackle. That's where the seventh overall pick could debut for Detroit on Sunday, with Matt Nelson filling in at right tackle.
Sewell said Friday that he also took reps at left tackle during training camp and he's prepared to move back to the position where he starred in college until Decker returns.
"It’s a little familiarity there," he said. "Been getting some reps at left and right throughout camp, so been ready and here we are."
Asked if he has any rust to knock off at left tackle, Sewell said, "To be honest, it is what it is, just normal. I wouldn’t say anything’s different. It shouldn’t be too much different than when I was trying to get right tackle down."
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That's the rub for the Lions. Sewell was just starting to get comfortable at the position where they drafted him to play for the next several years. The risk in moving him temporarily back to the left is undoing the progress he's made on the right.
But Sewell has no illusions about his long-term role. Asked where he fits in when Decker comes back, he said, "I’m definitely right tackle. That man, I look up to him. He’s like a role model to me, and that’s that."
If Sewell indeed slides over to the left on Sunday, Nelson, a converted defensive lineman who appeared in 16 games on Detroit's O-line last season, is the natural candidate to fill in on the right.
"Everybody trusts him to come in and play for this situation we have right now, to come in and play Week 1," said Sewell. "We all trust him and it’s going to be fun out there."
It will also be a challenge. A big one. The 49ers have a loaded defensive line, headlined by Nick Bosa. Containing the 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year figures to fall mostly on Sewell, a heck of a baptism for a guy who struggled in pass protection in the preseason.
But Sewell said those struggles are behind him. He's focused on playing a simple game in his NFL debut, no matter where he lines up or who lines up in front of him.
"Just don’t let being in the NFL get too big in my head. I think that was the No. 1 thing for me (in the preseason)," he said. "I went out there and kind of let the situation get too big for me, so I learned from that.
"Again, this is just another game. I gotta go back to playing football the way I know how to and the way that is really successful for me and just being simple with it."