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Allen Park — As soon as Larry Borom got off the phone with his agent, he called his mom.
Borom, a Michigan native and former standout at Birmingham Brother Rice, was coming home, agreeing to terms with the Detroit Lions on the first day of the NFL's legal tampering period. The deal became official Thursday morning.
"She was almost breaking down," Borom, 26, said of his mother, Joelle. "She's my rock. She's everything."
On Thursday, Borom spoke as a member of the Lions for the first time, using the word "surreal" to describe his return to the city that shaped him. "It still doesn't feel real," he added. "This is home. I don't even really know how to explain it to people. I'm ecstatic. I can't really put words to it."
An offensive lineman with 38 starts since entering the league as a fifth-round draft pick to the Chicago Bears in 2021, Borom has experience at right tackle (1,709 snaps), left tackle (788), left guard (42) and right guard (20) throughout his five-year career. He made 11 starts for the Miami Dolphins last season, all at right tackle. He allowed 15 pressures and two sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Lions have an opening at left tackle after Taylor Decker's release, but it's not yet clear if that's the role Borom will be filling. There's a lot of offseason left, including the draft in April, and the Lions could acquire someone else as Decker's true replacement, or move Penei Sewell over from his spot on the right side. If Borom's not starting, he could take over as Detroit's swing tackle. That position previously belonged to Dan Skipper, who retired this offseason and became an assistant coach with the Lions.
"I've played four different positions over my career, so anyway I can help the team (and) help us move forward, (that's what I'll do)," Borom said. "I'm willing to do whatever, whether that's starting or not starting. I'm a team player."
Borom has a previous relationship with Sewell. They were part of the same draft class in 2021 and shared an agent. Borom described Sewell is a "close friend," someone he's spoken with about the culture in Detroit. Borom also knows cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. from their days at Missouri; Rakestraw was a freshman in 2020 when Borom was a senior.
Despite interest from "a couple other teams" in free agency, Borom said coming to the Lions was essentially a no-brainer. He's spent his offseasons in Detroit over the last five years, but he's happy to no longer have to bounce between locations to continue his career and see his family.
Now, he's got the best of both worlds.
"This city is nothing but people that get up and get after it, you know what I'm saying? It's nothing but hustlers," Borom said. "People are hard workers in this city, and I take that with a lot of pride. Being from here, being able to put the jersey on is everything. Because I know it's representing everybody that — they ain't want to get up today. Everybody who gets up and gets after it, that's what it represents."
[email protected]
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Larry Borom, from Detroit, still can't believe he's signed with Lions
Continue reading...
Borom, a Michigan native and former standout at Birmingham Brother Rice, was coming home, agreeing to terms with the Detroit Lions on the first day of the NFL's legal tampering period. The deal became official Thursday morning.
"She was almost breaking down," Borom, 26, said of his mother, Joelle. "She's my rock. She's everything."
On Thursday, Borom spoke as a member of the Lions for the first time, using the word "surreal" to describe his return to the city that shaped him. "It still doesn't feel real," he added. "This is home. I don't even really know how to explain it to people. I'm ecstatic. I can't really put words to it."
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An offensive lineman with 38 starts since entering the league as a fifth-round draft pick to the Chicago Bears in 2021, Borom has experience at right tackle (1,709 snaps), left tackle (788), left guard (42) and right guard (20) throughout his five-year career. He made 11 starts for the Miami Dolphins last season, all at right tackle. He allowed 15 pressures and two sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Lions have an opening at left tackle after Taylor Decker's release, but it's not yet clear if that's the role Borom will be filling. There's a lot of offseason left, including the draft in April, and the Lions could acquire someone else as Decker's true replacement, or move Penei Sewell over from his spot on the right side. If Borom's not starting, he could take over as Detroit's swing tackle. That position previously belonged to Dan Skipper, who retired this offseason and became an assistant coach with the Lions.
"I've played four different positions over my career, so anyway I can help the team (and) help us move forward, (that's what I'll do)," Borom said. "I'm willing to do whatever, whether that's starting or not starting. I'm a team player."
Borom has a previous relationship with Sewell. They were part of the same draft class in 2021 and shared an agent. Borom described Sewell is a "close friend," someone he's spoken with about the culture in Detroit. Borom also knows cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. from their days at Missouri; Rakestraw was a freshman in 2020 when Borom was a senior.
Despite interest from "a couple other teams" in free agency, Borom said coming to the Lions was essentially a no-brainer. He's spent his offseasons in Detroit over the last five years, but he's happy to no longer have to bounce between locations to continue his career and see his family.
Now, he's got the best of both worlds.
"This city is nothing but people that get up and get after it, you know what I'm saying? It's nothing but hustlers," Borom said. "People are hard workers in this city, and I take that with a lot of pride. Being from here, being able to put the jersey on is everything. Because I know it's representing everybody that — they ain't want to get up today. Everybody who gets up and gets after it, that's what it represents."
[email protected]
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Larry Borom, from Detroit, still can't believe he's signed with Lions
Continue reading...
