On what will go down as one of the bigger days a single franchise has put together on the contract front in recent NFL history, the Lions have another record-setting agreement in place. Not long after Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s deal emerged, Penei Sewell is now locked down long term.
Sewell agreed to terms on a four-year, $112MM extension, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports. That $28MM-per-year number shatters a right tackle AAV record. Not only is this the new right tackle standard, Sewell’s second contract doubles as the largest ever given to an offensive lineman.
The contract will average $30MM per year over its first three seasons, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. It would seem this deal will run through 2029, with the Lions having a fifth-year option on Sewell that covered 2025. Indeed, SI.com’s Albert Breer confirms the extension runs through ’29 after an exercised option.
The deal includes $85MM guaranteed, Garafolo adds. That guarantee number comes in well north of any other O-lineman’s figure as well. Andrew Thomas‘ $67MM Giants guarantee previously stood as the current high-water mark. No other OL is tied to a guarantee higher than $64MM. This represents a tremendous commitment to Sewell, who has thus far rewarded the Lions for their first-round investment in 2021.
Despite the Lions having two years of control remaining via the option, they will pass on that process to do an extension now. While Thomas needed to agree to a five-year deal to lock in monster tackle money after his third season, the Lions will reward Sewell while giving him a chance to negotiate a third contract — should he stay in top form — in his late 20s. Sewell will not turn 24 until October.
It is difficult to overstate the commitment the Lions are making to Sewell. The right tackle market finally reached the $20MM-per-year place in 2023, when the Eagles gave Lane Johnson another extension and the Chiefs matched that $20MM-AAV payment for free agent Jawaan Taylor. Sewell effectively has his own salary bracket at the position. His $28MM AAV also comes in $3MM higher than Laremy Tunsil‘s LT-record number. This is a rather big day for a player who joined the Lions after opting out of his final college season during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Sewell and St. Brown came to Detroit in the first Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell draft. Each has become an impact player, with Sewell finishing last season as a first-team All-Pro. The Oregon alum has two Pro Bowls on his resume and has extensive experience at both tackle spots. The Lions drafted Sewell seventh overall and kicked him to left tackle after a 2021 Taylor Decker injury. Decker returned in 2022, and the Lions followed through with their initial Sewell plan. They have since seen him become one of the game’s best right tackles.
Sewell’s move back to right tackle coincided with the Lions forming one of the league’s best offensive lines. The team paired a Decker-Sewell tackle tandem with Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow. Even as the Lions saw some guard instability crop up due to Halapoulivaati Vaitai‘s health over the past two years, the team offered Jared Goff top-tier protection and opened regular run lanes for the likes of Jamaal Williams, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. This O-line has played a central role in Goff’s Motor City resurgence — one that is on track to produce a big extension for the veteran quarterback, most likely before Week 1 — and the Lions’ journey from a three-win 2021 to last season’s NFC championship game.
The Lions did not give up on keeping four-year guard starter Jonah Jackson in free agency, but the team pivoted to a cheaper alternative upon learning where his market was headed. The club’s Sewell plans undoubtedly factored into that decision. The Lions already have Ragnow on a top-tier center contract and Decker signed to an upper-crust LT deal. Decker is going into a contract year, though he made interesting news by revealing discussions on a third contract have begun.
The Lions are betting big early on a player who has shown dominant form. Pro Football Focus rated Sewell as the NFL’s top tackle last year, particularly lauding his run-blocking ability. ESPN’s pass block win rate placed Sewell sixth. PFF slotted Sewell 10th among tackles in 2022, and the Lions certainly believe a quality prime is ahead for the former No. 7 overall pick.
Detroit landed Sewell after Cincinnati opted for Ja’Marr Chase at No. 5 three years ago, as the Bengals added Joe Burrow‘s former teammate rather than address a then-glaring RT need. This became the Lions’ gain. While Decker is going into his age-31 season — a contract year — the Lions still have the tandem heading into a fourth year together.
It will be interesting to see how this megadeal impacts Decker’s Detroit future, but the defending NFC North champions have two key parts of a high-stakes offseason itinerary checked off via the St. Brown and Sewell deals. In all likelihood, a third Goff contract is up next.
Met a lot of the Lions in 2022 at a hotel I was consulting for. As much as a Packer fan I am, it’s hard not to root for them especially Campbell.
As a Packer fan, I agree with you. I will always want the Packers to beat the Lions, but it would be nice to see them succeed.
Now the Bears and Vikings? They could go 0-17 for all I care 😉
Hey I’m a life long Lions fan through the bad and good years and I loved how your Packers team last season proved EVERYONE wrong including Rodger’s and almost went to the NFC Championship game. Everyone expected you guys to crumble and your QB carried your team.
As a Bears fan, you are all making me sick.
this was a cute exchange
Get a room.
The number was only going to go up if they waited for Wirfs to sign his extension. The right tackle versus left tackle thing is overblown, especially when it’s a guy who’s only playing on the right side because his drafting team already had a good LT. Sewell is awesome and not even 24 yet. Smart to not dilly dally about locking him up.
Yep, Wirfs is probably going to be the highest and he can play both sides at a high level.
The Lions are a young, talented team. As a long time Bears fan I can honestly say the Lions are my 2nd favorite team. Just a lot to like about the team. Good coach, good players and fun to watch. It will be interesting to see how they handle the Goff extension. Down the road there will be more money to spend to keep the team together. Hutchinson will command top money.
This is who I wanted the Jets to select when they chose Zach Wilson. I was calling for them to trade down if that pick had to be a QB. I would rather have kept Darnold and given him protection and a weapon than a new QB. Granted that the Darnold trade eventually turned into Breece Hall, but Sewell was worthy of the #2 pick then.
Sewell was the pick the Jets needed to make. Instead they bought into the hype of Wilson and got rid of a QB who probably would’ve done well if he wasn’t running for his life every play with no one to throw to. Sewell is the ‘you draft him and you won’t have to worry about that position for the next 10 or so years’ player.
As big of a Zach detractor as I am, no one said taking Zach was a reach at 2. It was between him and Fields TBH and I thought he had more upside.
If we are going to kill anyone, let’s kill the 49ers and Mr. Offensive genius Shanahan for trading 3 firsts for Trey Lance and not being able to make it work.
Do the Lions trade back from 29 so they don’t have 4 monster deals done in 1 offseason (Sewell, Goff, Amon & a 1st rounder)? And build more depth for their roster? Have to admit w/ everyone else, the Lions finally seem to be doing great these past few years. Great to see them move up the food chain of franchises.
The salary cap is fake. 1st year salaries are low by spreading the 1st year as a signing bonus over the life of the contract. Last year salaries will get spread out with tacked on void years. And the low 1st round pick will make nothing relative to the new deals.
The 29th pick will cost less over four seasons than St. Brown or Sewell costs for eight games. I don’t think that constitutes a monster contract or motivates a move down.
That draft slot is like 2.4 million
1st rounders aren’t really expensive anymore, until it’s time to pick up the 5th year option. Especially when drafting late in the round.
It’s only taken the Lions organization about 65 years of under achieving to realize you have to open the wallet and pay top performers what they are worth. They would probably still be the league’s biggest cheapskates if Willie Clay were still alive.
I just learned that on new Ford engines the vacuum hoses don’t use hose clamps or quick connect connectors, they have to be cut off and replaced with an entirely new hose (with the accompanying labor costs) instead of using a 5 cent part that could be easily reused over and over.
So they’ve gone beyond planned obsolescence to full on planned sabotage.
They can afford a RT.
What does this have to do with anything? Car companies don’t have salary caps.