ALLEN PARK -- Penei Sewell is already known as one of the mightiest, most intimidating and immovable forces in the NFL.
So, what is the 6-foot-5, 335-pound All-Pro Detroit Lions offensive tackle focused on improving this offseason?
Getting even bigger and stronger, of course.
“Personally, I wanted to get stronger, definitely at the point of attack, both run game and pass game,” Sewell said. “Yeah, I just wanted to be more sturdy while maintaining my conditioning because we get to run more than others at the position. That’s the main thing going; I just wanted to get bigger and stronger while maintaining my speed and conditioning.”
The 24-year-old three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro said getting stronger for him involves “moving big weight fast.” Simple enough.
Sewell stayed back in Michigan after the season ended and has been working with the team’s strength staff to achieve his goals and make sure he’s on the right path.
“I’m always trying to up the weight,” Sewell said. “Obviously, you’ve got to be smart with it. There’s also some risk going into lifting those types of weights, but I just lean on the guys here, the strength staff, and they do a great job.
“It’s just moving those heavy weights fast.”
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Sewell has been a godsend for the Lions. He was the first draft pick of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell regime and has established himself as one of the best players in the league and a franchise cornerstone during their surge from laughing stock to contender.
He has already started 67 games before turning 25 years old. Sewell has dominated from the right tackle spot, cementing himself as one of the best run-blockers in recent memory. He’s also proved more than able to fill in on the other side or try a trick play when needed.
Sewell was also just recognized by Pro Football Focus as the best player under 25, earning that honor for the second straight year.
With four seasons under his belt, Sewell said the main difference he feels is the level of comfort in his game and standing as a leader. Sewell has been a captain each of the last two years. He’s a vocal leader who also leads by example with his play, and is regularly seen firing the team up in the middle before most games.
“Each year I have under my belt, that confidence just gets increased; that comfortability gets increased,” Sewell said. “I think now that leadership role starts to, I guess, take another step. Not only what my words carry but my actions. I think that’s the most important thing.”
That blossoming leadership from Sewell is something the Lions have pointed to in recent years. Lions head coach Dan Campbell previously noted how Sewell’s voice kept getting louder as a franchise cornerstone who felt “compelled to step up.”
“He’s very much -- he’s kind of an energy guy for us,” Campbell said of Sewell after he was named a captain for the first time. “He brings attitude to what we are offensively. To me, collectively, man, you think of that O-line that we got with guys like him and then on the perimeter, guys like (Amon-Ra St. Brown) Saint, I mean, that’s who we are, that’s our attitude.”
That leadership should come in handy once again. Detroit’s offensive line has two new faces after taking Tate Ratledge in the second round and Myles Frazier in the sixth round of this year’s draft.
Ratledge is in the battle to replace Kevin Zeitler as starting right guard next to Sewell. Frazier worked between guard and tackle at rookie minicamp, while Ratledge repped at guard and center.
Sewell said those new faces on the line bring a new dynamic and that he always looks forward to building those new relationships.
When asked what advice he has for the rookies going through cross-training at different positions, Sewell said, speaking from experience, there are going to be moments where you question yourself. But it’s about having the daily discipline to put in the work and understand you are capable of more, and it will fall into place.
“Then, building upon that, just having them fall in line with what we’ve got going on here, in terms of the standard, the culture, and what we’re all about,” Sewell said.
It should be noted that the NFL recently announced it would introduce the “protector of the year” award, honoring the league’s best offensive lineman starting in 2025.
Sewell, who should be considered among the pre-season favorites to win that honor, said it’s pretty cool to see and that it helps push recognition for offensive linemen forward.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Sewell said. “Yeah, I guess we all have an award for the positions.”