It's a scary proposition for NFL defenders to think about a bigger, stronger Penei Sewell in 2025 with all the same athleticism, speed and temperament that's made him a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection and three-time Pro Bowler at just age 24.
"I just wanted to get bigger and stronger while maintaining my speed and conditioning," Sewell said Thursday of his offseason as the Lions kick off OTA practices at the Meijer Performance Center next week.
Sewell stayed in Detroit to work with the team's trainers and strength coaches, and he described his offseason as moving a lot of big weight fast.
Sewell is widely considered one of the top offensive linemen in football and already one of the early favorites for the NFL's new Protector of the Year Award, which will be given to the league's top offensive lineman each season starting in 2025.
Sewell was the third-highest graded tackle in football by Pro Football Focus last season and ranked No. 2 as a run blocker behind only Philadelphia's Jordan Mailata. He allowed just one sack and five total quarterback hits in 664 pass-rush reps last season.
Simply put, Sewell is as dominant a young tackle as this league's seen in a while. Still, he's not satisfied with that. He thinks gaining strength will help him at the point of attack and make him an even more complete player.
That's pretty scary to think about for how good Sewell already is.
"Always trying to up the weight," Sewell said of his process this offseason. "Obviously, you have to be smart with it. There's also some risk going into lifting those types of weights. But I just leaned on the guys here, the strength staff, they do a great job. It's just moving the heavy weights fast."
Sewell returns upfront along with All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Decker. They headline an offensive front that propelled one of the most explosive offenses in football last season, finishing first in points per game (33.2) and second in total offense (409.5).
Detroit topped 2,000 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns last season and has eclipsed at least 20 rushing touchdowns in each of the last three seasons.
There is a little bit of uncertainty at what the two starting guard spots might look like Week 1 next season. Will it be veteran Graham Glasgow and Christian Mahogany? What about rookies Tate Ratledge or Miles Frazier? It's a competition Sewell is interested in seeing play out. He's played next to a new starting right guard in each of his first four seasons in Detroit.
View photos from offseason workouts on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III (38) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (28) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Kye Robichaux (25) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Grant Stuard (15) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Ronnie Bell (10) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein (61) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Graham Glasgow (60) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Nate Lynn (57) during offseason workouts at the Meijer Performance Center on May 21, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
He said the biggest thing to understand for whoever wins the job is when the competition is over and the regular season begins, 'we gotta go.'
"I have a pretty good relationship with everyone in the room so it doesn't matter who's in there," Sewell said. "But I would say maybe the little differences is like those initial thoughts of like what you see on the defense and kind of if you have to say something or if you don't have to say something. If I see the same things as he sees and vice versa."
Whoever wins the starting right guard spot will have the luxury of playing in between two All-Pro players in Sewell and Ragnow.
Heading into his fifth season, Sewell has set out to become his most dominant self, and that could be huge for the Lions.
