NEWSLETTER
Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is hard at work today! It’s fitting that just a day before the 2024 NFL Draft kicks off in Detroit, the Lions have locked up two franchise, homegrown cornerstones just hours apart. This morning, it was Amon-Ra St. Brown who signed a deal to become the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. Now, it’s star tackle Penei Sewell’s turn to be the highest-paid player in the NFL at his position.
Penei Sewell Signs Mega Deal
Sewell’s extension with Detroit pays him $112 million over four seasons and includes a whopping $85 million in guaranteed money. The 23-year-old tackle out of Oregon is more than deserving of the title of the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL. In just three years in the league, he’s already been a Pro Bowler as well as an All-Pro. He’s the definition of a franchise tackle you can build an offensive line around.
Getting to the quarterback when going up against Penei Sewell has been anything but easy. Last season in Detroit, Sewell played 1,178 snaps at left tackle, and he allowed just one sack. The star tackle was nearly perfect in pass protection and only committed seven penalties for the season as well. Sewell owned the line of scrimmage last season and will now be doing so for the Lions for at least four more.
Detroit is a perfect example of how important it is to hit on your draft picks. That 2021 class produced two superstars, and largely because of them, they made a run to the NFC Championship game last year. Fingers crossed, at some point in the near future, we’re talking about the Bears locking up a couple of homegrown talents to mega-extensions.
It would seem that Detroit’s quarterback Jared Goff could be next in line for a contract extension, but there is nothing concrete yet on that front. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that a new deal for Goff has been discussed this offseason, but nothing is imminent there yet.
