The Lions drafted Penei Sewell to play right tackle. With each passing game at left tackle, he looks like he's where he belongs. He looks like a cornerstone for a team in search of a future.
"I believe he’s a cornerstone for any team," Jared Goff said Tuesday on the Karsch & Anderson Show. "And I believe here in Detroit, we’re lucky to have him."
Sewell continues to deliver. He had one of his best pass-blocking efforts last week against the Eagles, a week after paving the way in the run game and going toe-to-toe with Aaron Donald. The seventh overall pick was a left tackle in college and he looks like a left tackle in the NFL -- and a darn good one, at that.
"That dude’s special, man," said Goff. "He’s going to be really special for a long time in this league. You can see it right now, just the way he moves, the way he’s able to get down the field in the run game, the way he’s able to pass protect. He’s a special, special type of player. And I think what's been encouraging, especially recently, is his development in becoming a young leader on our team, becoming a guy that can use his voice and guys listen."
Sewell has played every snap at left tackle for the Lions this season after Taylor Decker went down with a finger injury in September. The club activated Decker on Tuesday rather than shutting him down for the year. And so we've arrived at the first dilemma for the new regime.
If Decker is ready to go in Week 10 coming out of the bye, he'll likely slide back in at left tackle, where he's become a top-10(ish) player at his position. And Sewell will bounce back to the right, where he was predictably shaky this summer. If Decker needs more time and Sewell continues to shine in his stead, the Lions might have to leave Sewell be -- and they might have to consider taking trade offers on Decker in the offseason.
That is, they might have to scrap the original plan. Because why mess with a budding star at one of the game's premium positions who's 21 years old and under contract through 2025?
"Getting better week to week," Goff said of Sewell. "He’s flashed in a lot of spots and there’s spots where he’s critical on himself, which is probably the best thing about him."
Sewell was clearly ticked when he was beat around the edge by Eagles DE Derek Barnett for a third-down sack and a loss of 13 in the second quarter last week. But Goff didn't do himself (or Sewell) any favors by back-pedaling deep into the pocket and then spinning directly into Barnett's arms. For what it's worth, Pro Football Focus says Sewell didn't allow a sack for the third game in a row. It says he's allowed just one QB hit over that stretch. Not bad.
The Lions' plan was a good one, to build a dominant offensive line around Sewell, Decker and Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow. It's still a plan that can work. But it requires Decker to return to the field, or Sewell might displace him. After sparring with Sewell in the season opener, 49ers star DE Nick Bosa told the rookie he's "better and more comfortable on the left." If the Lions reach the same conclusion, why move him back to the right?
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Goff also had good things to say about rookie running back Jermar Jefferson, who scored a touchdown in his offensive debut last week in place of the injured Jamaal Williams.
"They drafted him for a reason and he’s done a good job up to this point," said Goff. "Obviously we miss Jamaal out there. He’s one of the guys we like to get the ball to, but I thought Jermar stepped up and did a good job. Sometimes in that first real NFL action it can be a lot for some guys and I don’t think he blinked. I think he did a great job. Was where he was supposed to do and filled in pretty nicely."
As for what he likes about the 0-8 Lions entering the second half of the season, Goff said, "We have dudes who fight." He pointed specifically to D'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson, both of whom have played well this season despite nagging injuries.
"Whatever it looks like from the outside, I’m not sure," said Goff. "But a guy like Swift, who you’d like to get going, he's banged up, he’s got a shoulder injury playing in that (Eagles) game and was running as hard as he could and giving it everything he’s got on every play. T.J., he’s been banged up quite a bit this year as well and goes over the middle on the first play of the game, jumps up and gets hit in the legs. Just guys that are willing to put their bodies on the line right now for the right reasons, that’s the most encouraging thing."