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As the Detroit Lions sort through their options on their new-look offensive line, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said the team should be open to playing Penei Sewell at either tackle spot depending on who they add up front in next month's NFL Draft.
"You obviously don’t fix what isn’t broken, right?" Kiper said in a conference call Thursday, March 19. "I think he’s a great player, but again, you have to adjust to what you have."
The Lions return three starting linemen in Sewell – a three-time All-Pro right tackle – and guards Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany, but released longtime starters Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow in cost-cutting moves this offseason.
TOP DAWG? Georgia LT Monroe Freeling offers upside for Lions in 2026 NFL Draft
They added center Cade Mays and tackle Larry Borom in free agency and acquired guard Juice Scruggs in a trade, but could move Sewell from right to left tackle to replace Decker.
Kiper had the draft's best left tackle prospect, Georgia's Monroe Freeling, going to the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 overall in his mock draft and said he does not see a situation where the draft's other top linemen, Miami's Francis Mauigoa and Utah's Spencer Fano, remain until the Lions' first-round pick at No. 17.
Mauigoa projects as a right tackle in the NFL. Fano played right tackle in college and may move inside to guard or center in the NFL because of his arm length.
Still, the Lions could have their choice of the second tier of what's considered a deep group of offensive tackles at 17, and Kiper said who they like could determine where Sewell plays.
"This is a draft that I have not seen one of these types of drafts from an offensive line standpoint, particularly at tackle, really until this year," Kiper said. "You got a lot of versatility with some of these guys and a lot of unknowns about where they fit in."
Kiper said Freeling could slide to 17 if the Lions prefer to draft a left tackle and keep Sewell on the right side. Among other linemen who could go in the back half of Round 1, Clemson's Blake Miller is the most NFL-ready right tackle, Alabama's Kadyn Proctor - Kiper's pick for the Lions in his last mock draft - can play either tackle or guard spot, Utah's Caleb Lomu was a left tackle in college and Arizona State's Max Iheanachor likely ends up on the right side.
"I think the main one would be Proctor in terms of having that ability to say, let’s try him at left tackle, we can leave Sewell at right tackle," Kiper said. "If Proctor’s overmatched then we could put Sewell over there and we get Proctor at right tackle. If you want more of a given at right tackle and your idea is, 'OK, we’re going to put Penei Sewell at left tackle,' then Blake Miller would be the guy who’s already NFL-ready from a technique, experience standpoint, solid performances week after week. He would be a guy you could pencil in from Day 1 as a starter as opposed to some of the guys who are a little bit less of a guarantee."
Sewell is no guarantee to keep up his elite play at left tackle, though Kiper said he would not have any reservations about asking Sewell to change positions. Sewell has not played left tackle full-time since his last season at Oregon in 2019, but he started eight games at the position for the Lions as a rookie in 2021, and other elite blockers have made the switch during their NFL careers.
"I think when you look at Sewell, what a great player," Kiper said. "To move him, you got to give it a shot, although I will say this, with these tackles, they pick the spot of the weakest link with their pass rusher, so right tackle, it’s not like it was back in the day with the right tackle/left tackle situation."
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions moving Penei Sewell to LT? 'Don't fix what isn't broken'
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"You obviously don’t fix what isn’t broken, right?" Kiper said in a conference call Thursday, March 19. "I think he’s a great player, but again, you have to adjust to what you have."
The Lions return three starting linemen in Sewell – a three-time All-Pro right tackle – and guards Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany, but released longtime starters Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow in cost-cutting moves this offseason.
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TOP DAWG? Georgia LT Monroe Freeling offers upside for Lions in 2026 NFL Draft
They added center Cade Mays and tackle Larry Borom in free agency and acquired guard Juice Scruggs in a trade, but could move Sewell from right to left tackle to replace Decker.
Kiper had the draft's best left tackle prospect, Georgia's Monroe Freeling, going to the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 overall in his mock draft and said he does not see a situation where the draft's other top linemen, Miami's Francis Mauigoa and Utah's Spencer Fano, remain until the Lions' first-round pick at No. 17.
Mauigoa projects as a right tackle in the NFL. Fano played right tackle in college and may move inside to guard or center in the NFL because of his arm length.
Still, the Lions could have their choice of the second tier of what's considered a deep group of offensive tackles at 17, and Kiper said who they like could determine where Sewell plays.
"This is a draft that I have not seen one of these types of drafts from an offensive line standpoint, particularly at tackle, really until this year," Kiper said. "You got a lot of versatility with some of these guys and a lot of unknowns about where they fit in."
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Kiper said Freeling could slide to 17 if the Lions prefer to draft a left tackle and keep Sewell on the right side. Among other linemen who could go in the back half of Round 1, Clemson's Blake Miller is the most NFL-ready right tackle, Alabama's Kadyn Proctor - Kiper's pick for the Lions in his last mock draft - can play either tackle or guard spot, Utah's Caleb Lomu was a left tackle in college and Arizona State's Max Iheanachor likely ends up on the right side.
"I think the main one would be Proctor in terms of having that ability to say, let’s try him at left tackle, we can leave Sewell at right tackle," Kiper said. "If Proctor’s overmatched then we could put Sewell over there and we get Proctor at right tackle. If you want more of a given at right tackle and your idea is, 'OK, we’re going to put Penei Sewell at left tackle,' then Blake Miller would be the guy who’s already NFL-ready from a technique, experience standpoint, solid performances week after week. He would be a guy you could pencil in from Day 1 as a starter as opposed to some of the guys who are a little bit less of a guarantee."
Sewell is no guarantee to keep up his elite play at left tackle, though Kiper said he would not have any reservations about asking Sewell to change positions. Sewell has not played left tackle full-time since his last season at Oregon in 2019, but he started eight games at the position for the Lions as a rookie in 2021, and other elite blockers have made the switch during their NFL careers.
"I think when you look at Sewell, what a great player," Kiper said. "To move him, you got to give it a shot, although I will say this, with these tackles, they pick the spot of the weakest link with their pass rusher, so right tackle, it’s not like it was back in the day with the right tackle/left tackle situation."
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions moving Penei Sewell to LT? 'Don't fix what isn't broken'
Continue reading...
