At 25 years old, Penei Sewell is now the unquestioned leader and most senior member of Detroit's offensive line in terms of years of service in Detroit. All the veterans who were in that room when he got to Detroit after being a first-round pick in 2021 – Frank Ragnow, Taylor Decker, Halapoulivaati Vaitai – are no longer here.
Sewell has embraced the leadership role that comes with being a veteran in the room, just like he's embraced the move from right tackle to left.
"For me, personally, right now it's just poise and just taking it day by day," Sewell said of the move after Detroit's second open OTA practice of the summer. "Just focus on that. Control what's right in front of me. If I feel like I'm looking too far ahead, it can be frustrating. Just got to keep coming to the building each and every day and find something to get better at."
Sewell started the first eight games of his rookie season in 2021 at left tackle when Decker was injured before making the move to the right side where he's established himself as one of the best linemen in the league. Sewell has played 683 snaps on the left side, per Pro Football Focus, with 536 coming in his rookie season.
He earned his third straight All-Pro selection and his fourth-career Pro Bowl berth playing right tackle. He joins Lou Creekmur (eight) and Lomas Brown (six) as the only Lions tackles to make at least four Pro Bowls.
Sewell was the highest graded offensive lineman in football last season earning a 95.1 overall grade from PFF. His run-blocking grade of 96.7 was also tops among all tackles with his pass-blocking grade of 80.3 ranking 11th. He allowed pressure on just 3.3 percent of pass plays, a career best that ranked second among right tackles and fifth among all tackles allowing two sacks and just six quarterback hits in over 600 pass-blocking reps.
"It'll be like riding a bike for him," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of Sewell's transition to left tackle. "Will there be things he'll have to (learn)? Yeah, of course there will be. But I mean he has played left. That's muscle memory. He played a lot of left in college and for us in '21, those first few games. And he still took reps at left even over the last five years, so that'll be seamless. That'll be seamless. Sewell can do it all."
Sewell admitted Thursday it's different going from right to left tackle from the stance and some technique stuff, but he's watched a ton of film and is utilizing these OTA practices as a good tuneup for the start of training camp.
Sewell heads up a revamped offensive line for the Lions in 2026. Sewell said they are still feeling each other out a little bit, but he loves the overall makeup of the unit.
Signing veteran Larry Borom in free agency and drafting Blake Miller in the first round cemented Sewell's move to the left side with Borom and Miller playing mostly right tackle over their careers. The addition of free-agent center Cade Mays solidifies the middle of Detroit's offensive line. The guard spots are manned by left guard Christian Mahogany and right guard Tate Ratledge, both of whom the Lions expect to take a jump in their development in their third and second seasons, respectively.
View photos from Day 6 of Detroit Lions OTA practice on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien (27) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Avonte Maddox (29) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (17) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Keith Abney II (28) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Keith Abney II (28) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Thomas Gordon (82) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin (83) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (99) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Mason Miller (63) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Tate Ratledge (69) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Blake Miller (76) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jimmy Rolder (41) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Sewell said the unit is hanging out away from the facility to try to get to know each other better. Even with all the new faces, Sewell said the standard is still the standard and it's up to him as the leader to hold everyone accountable. In order to do that, he's got to play just as well on the left side as he did on the right.
When the pads come on in training camp we'll be able to see how the position change plays out, but Campbell is confident it will be seamless.
"Well, his talent speaks for itself and then he's got all the intangibles, I mean that's why he's rare," Campbell said. "He has all the skills, he has all the intangibles, and he works hard, man, he works hard.
"Just the big thing will be, don't overload him. I mean, pretty soon it's like any other player, you start asking him to play three different positions and it starts to add up. But he's just, he's another one. Don't take that for granted. His ability to move and kick over, but he was good. He'll do whatever we ask him to do, he's a team guy."
