Lions News

[ghandi]

Former Lion Josh Reynolds released by the Broncos

[whatever_gong82]

Former Lion Josh Reynolds released by the Broncos

Think we could use him back here?

Tim Patrick has effectively replaced him on the roster, and we have more pressing needs on Defense.

[whatever_gong82]

Wojo: Lions staring at dual gauntlets – injuries and nasty schedule

Bob Wojnowski
The Detroit News



Allen Park – The Lions are 11-1 with a 10-game winning streak and the top-scoring offense in the NFL. So naturally, the first inclination is to fret and sweat, right?

Oh, the injuries. Oh, the schedule. Oh, the Eagles and Vikings and Packers and not Bears, oh my.

The Lions have more players on injured reserve than any team in the league, a whole batch on defense. They have one of the five-toughest remaining schedules, including the Packers Thursday night, their third game in 11 days.



The Lions haven’t lost in nearly three months and yet can’t escape the Vikings and Packers in the NFC North, or the Eagles for the No. 1 seed. Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell split time these days watching game tape and unrolling medical tape. After an especially taxing Thanksgiving victory over the Bears, the Lions have a league-high 18 players on IR, and currently are missing eight defensive starters or their replacements – Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Josh Paschal, Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike, Derrick Barnes, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Malcolm Rodriguez.


Is this a growing concern? Sure it is. Is it the biggest concern? No, not yet.

The biggest impediments to the Lions’ playoff seeding are the Eagles (10-2), Vikings (10-2) and Packers (9-3), who are relatively healthy. All three can pound the way the Lions pound, with outstanding running backs in Saquon Barkley, Aaron Jones and Josh Jacobs.



The Lions are fond of saying they’re built for this, and a 33-9 record since mid-2022 would confirm it. It’s part of a culture built around continuity and accountability. Because the Lions have the same system with the same coordinators for three years running, they can plug in experienced former stars, such as safety Jamal Adams, 29, and linebacker Kwon Alexander, 30, who were happy to come here. Holmes also signed defensive linemen Jonah Williams and Myles Adams, and all four might get thrown into action Thursday night.

Campbell doesn’t play the woe-is-us game, and he really can’t. Aaron Glenn has been masterful juggling defensive pieces all season, and as long as he has his superb safety tandem of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, his interior behemoths in Alim McNeill and DJ Reader, and blossoming linebacker Jack Campbell, the Lions have plenty left to rely on. Reader (shoulder) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (knee) have been limited, but it’s short-term.


'A job to be done'

The Lions’ solid depth will be tested, but this is far from a catastrophe. Of course, even if it was, Campbell wouldn’t say it.

“I mean, let’s not forget the core pieces we’ve still got,” Campbell said Tuesday. “The extra pieces that come in, they’ve got plenty of guys who understand what we’re trying to get done around them. Plus, this coaching staff has done a great job, burning the midnight oil getting these guys up to date. So we’re going to let them cut it loose.”


They did it with Za’Darius Smith, whose impact has grown since he arrived via trade, and he has two sacks in three games. It’ll be especially fascinating to see how much Jamal Adams has left, because he was one of the best in the game not long ago. The four-time Pro Bowler can play safety or linebacker, and has a decorated history of knocking around quarterbacks.

The Lions’ secondary is largely intact and radically improved, and rookie Terrion Arnold is learning to defend without interfering. And oh by the way, the explosive offense is mostly healthy, although tackle Taylor Decker (knee) likely will miss his second straight game. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are the best running back tandem in the league, and the rest of the offense is loaded, averaging 31.9 ppg.



That’s one way to mitigate the injuries − control the ball and score 31.9 points. Another way is to lean on the strengths and ignore the outside narrative about a ravaged defense.

“Honestly I could care less,” McNeill said. “We know exactly what we can do. There’s still a game to be won and a job to be done.”

The injuries heighten concerns about the pass rush, although the Lions did sack Caleb Williams five times last week and rank 18th in the league. The Eagles have terrifically mobile Jalen Hurts and the Packers have dangerously mobile Jordan Love. Getting to the quarterback, or at least containing him, will be paramount in the Lions’ postseason run.


Names change, plan doesn't

Campbell joked they might try Jamal Adams at defensive end, but he wasn’t joking about playing him at linebacker, where Rodriguez was just lost for the season. Glenn sounded eager to tinker with his new toys.

“Here’s a saying that we say in our defense room − it’s not what we play, it’s how we play,” Glenn said. “So, if I can go in with four or five calls and they can play fast, they can play physical, they can play violent, that overcomes a lot of scheme.”


A few of the names will change but the scheme and the plan won’t. If Lions fans are determined to be nervous about something, be nervous about the Eagles, who have won eight straight and have a physical defense. Be nervous about the Packers, who have won three straight and have a physical defense. Be nervous about the Vikings, who have won five straight and have a physical defense.

The Lions are still favored to land the coveted No. 1 seed, which comes with a bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Ford Field has become a weapon, and the Lions desperately crave home games all the way until, well, you know where.


But they still have to play the Packers, Bills, 49ers and Vikings, as well as the Bears on the road. The Lions and Packers will settle things among themselves, but the Eagles’ slate is less daunting, with four home games and one trip to Washington.

No one said this would be easy, even if it sometimes looks that way. While the Lions have18 players on IR, the Eagles have six, the Packers have four and the Vikings have eight. The numbers don’t add up, and they could catch up to the Lions, who are prepared for the toil.


“Man, we play tough opponent after tough opponent, plenty coming up,” Campbell said. “This is the type of stuff you live for, and it’s also the type of stuff that gets you ready for the tournament. We’re a resilient bunch and nothing’s going to change that.”

It’ll take a lot of resilience and defensive defiance, for sure. Just keep rolling out the bodies, and the tape.


Bob.wojnowski@detroitnews.com

@bobwojnowski

[whatever_gong82]

Linebacker Jack Campbell has become 'a rock' for Lions defense

Nolan Bianchi
The Detroit News


Allen Park — Four of the top five linebackers on the Detroit Lions' depth chart entering this season are now on injured reserve.

While the team has found success backfilling that position with depth pieces, one can't help but wonder if that same success would still be had without Jack Campbell, the second-year man out of Iowa who was born to lead. Not only has his play seen a massive jump, but his leadership has, too.

"Man, he's a rock," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said this week.

During the spring, Detroit's coaches raved about Campbell's grasp of his responsibilities within Glenn's defense. Alex Anzalone missed significant time during OTAs and minicamp, allowing Campbell to wear the green dot (calling plays for the defense). As the depth chart behind him has become a revolving door, Campbell's ability to bring the newbies along has gone a long way.


"If you had a picture of a MIKE linebacker, he would be probably standing in front, because of how he operates," Glenn said. "He's a man's man. He loves standing in front of the huddle to give the call out to those guys and they really, really respect him. They respect him because of how he is personally, but they respect the way that he plays the game."

This season, Campbell has played 84% of defensive snaps for Detroit's defense. Following his last game against the Chicago Bears, he's now at 1,300 defensive snaps for his career. All told, the leadership role he's now been thrust into due to injuries to Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Malcolm Rodriguez is probably not something he would've been able to handle as well in his rookie season.



"Do I think I could've done it as well as I've done it right now? Probably not," Campbell told The Detroit News. "Where I'm standing today, I've had way more experience, way more games, another training camp, spring OTAs, just to learn the whole system, so I feel like I probably ... (am) more detailed this year than I would've been last year."

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Jack Campbell is "more mature" in his second season.


"He’s older, he’s more developed, time on task, game slowed down for him, and then on top of that he was always a pretty headsy player, pretty smart, instinctive guy, and so with, that’s boded well for him," Dan Campbell said. "He’s got a ton of reps, man, in a two-year period, that’s good. Honestly, he’s kind of the guy — the more you put on him, the better he gets, I feel like. He’s one of those, so he’s doing well right now. We’re going to ask a lot of him again.”

This season, Campbell has 90 tackles in 12 games — just shy of the 95 combined tackles he posted in 17 games as a rookie — with three pass defenses, 1½ sacks and five tackles for loss.


"It’s 100 miles per hour all of the time, even in walkthrough," Glenn said. "He’s going through his reads and he’s going through his drops. He’s making sure that he’s fed up on the ball the right way, bent knees, ready to get ready to strike, and it’s just who he is.

"He has been a rock for us and I’m glad that we have him.”



nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi

[whatever_gong82]

Jamal Adams eager to 'do a little bit of everything' for Lions, old friend Aaron Glenn

Paywall article.

Richard Silva
The Detroit News



Allen Park — With safeties Vonn Bell, Kenny Vacarro and Marcus Williams already on the roster, it wouldn't have made much sense, no matter how tempting it may have been, for the Saints to aggressively pursue All-America defensive back Jamal Adams coming out of LSU in the 2017 NFL Draft.


But Aaron Glenn — then the defensive backs coach in New Orleans and currently the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions — can recognize talent when he sees it. The skill set Adams brought to the table was evident at his pro day, when he turned in a 4.33 40-yard dash in front of Glenn and other league personnel.

Adams ended up getting picked No. 6 overall by the New York Jets, and the Saints ultimately chose cornerback Marshon Lattimore — a four-time Pro Bowler who New Orleans traded to Washington in November — five slots later.



Glenn and Adams couldn't team up in the past, but they stayed in touch. Their paths have now officially crossed, with Adams signing with Detroit's practice squad on Sunday. His addition, as head coach Dan Campbell put it, "just gives us options" on a depleted defense.

"He did my pro day when I was coming out eight years ago," Adams said Monday, recalling his first interactions with Glenn. "He ran the show, and I was doing the drills. ... From that point on, we’ve always kept a close connection. A hell of a coach, as everybody knows, but an even better person."


The Lions have been battered by injuries this season, particularly on one side of the ball. Of the 18 players they currently have on injured reserve, 13 of them play defense. It's a banged-up group that includes at least four starters, with superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson (leg) headlining the sidelined crew.

More specifically, though, Detroit's linebacking corps has taken a significant hit. Of the seven linebackers on the roster to start the season, four are on IR — Alex Anzalone (forearm), Derrick Barnes (knee), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) and Malcolm Rodriguez (knee).


When considering that, it makes sense why Glenn, who texted Adams about joining the team, reached out. Despite his listing as a safety, Adams has seen 41% of his career snaps in the box. During individual drills of practice Monday, Adams was working with the LBs.

"I just feel like I can do a little bit of everything," Adams said. "Whatever they ask me to do, I’m definitely going to do it to the best of my ability and just fly around and continue to make plays."


One of the most impressive things about Adams in his career has been his ability to get after opposing quarterbacks. He led all safeties in pressures in 2018 (22), 2019 (25) and 2020 (34), and he ranked 15th in 2021 (7) before a torn labrum ended his season.

Adams played in just nine games in 2023, his final season with the Seattle Seahawks. From Weeks 4-14, he had the eighth-most pressures amongst all safeties with seven.


"Honestly, I think it goes way back to elementary (school), when I was playing capture the flag," Adams said when asked where his pass-rush prowess came from. "Just flying around and having fun at recess. And I got lucky; I got very fortunate with my skills."



Adams quickly lived up to his draft position with the Jets, tallying 273 tackles and 12 sacks on the way to being a Pro Bowler twice in his first three seasons. He earned first-team All-Pro recognition in 2019, and he received second-team honors with the Seahawks after he was traded.

But injuries have largely derailed him. Adams hasn't played a full campaign since 2018, and he hasn't made more than 12 appearances in a season since 2019. From 2022-24, he's played in just 13 games, with three of those coming this season as a member of the Tennessee Titans before he reportedly requested his release.



His early-career stats and accolades are no doubt impressive. But given the recent injuries, is he joining Detroit with something to prove?

"I’m not out there to prove anybody wrong or prove anything to anybody, more so just to myself to go back out there and continue to make plays and do what I’ve always done," Adams said. "Obviously, injuries have taken a toll, and I’ve been through the fire with it. But I’m very grateful just to be here ... to continue my career, that’s what it’s about."



With Adams on the practice squad, it's no sure thing when he'll make his Lions debut. They could elevate him for Thursday night's divisional clash with the Green Bay Packers, but that's not guaranteed.

Campbell assured Sunday that Detroit is "going to play the best players." It's up to Adams to prove he belongs.

"We’ll see," Adams said with a grin when asked how quickly he can be ready to play.



rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18

[whatever_gong82]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/12/03/detroit-lions-game-vs-green-bay-packers-short-week/76736801007/

[DanO]

Think we could use him back here?

Tim Patrick has effectively replaced him on the roster, and we have more pressing needs on Defense.

FUCK him. He left a SB team for more money. No SB for you greedy FUCK! Patrick is doing just fine.

[DanO]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/n...k/76736801007/

I LOVE Dan Campbell. They sign four guys off the garbage heap and Campbell has me believing they're going to beat the Packers tomorrow. I REALLY think they're going to win. I think the defense is going to play solid and the offense is indeed going to play complimentary football and remind us why they are the best in the league.

[chemiclord]

The Lions, as I understand, offered Reynolds a 1 year deal. The Broncos offered 2. That little extra stability matters in case you... for example, get cut.

Sometimes, you gotta make a business decision.

[whatever_gong82]

Lions showed creativity and new way of thinking with this draft pick – it's paying off

Paywall article.

Jeff Seidel
Detroit Free Press


Sione Vaki might have the most interesting seat in the Detroit Lions locker room – at least for a converted defensive back trying to learn how to play running back.

He sits in a corner of the room, wedged between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. It’s like sitting in the front row of a classroom, facing two different types of teachers.


“What have you learned from this guy?” I asked him, pointing at Montgomery.

Right on cue, Montgomery spun around.



“Hey, D-Mo go away or something,” Vaki said

“No, tell him the truth,” Montgomery insisted.



“If I'm being honest,” Vaki started.

Montgomery continued staring at him.


“You want to be here while I say it?” Vaki asked. “That's so weak, bro.”




Montgomery wasn’t budging. He was as stubborn as when he gets the ball, starts running down field and refuses to be brought down by one guy.

“It's just being a true professional,” Vaki said. “It's like, day in, day out, come to work.”



“How about Gibbs?” I asked.

“How to have fun, be calm during the game and things like that,” Vaki said. “Jah over there, he flipped my move, you know what I’m saying? When I have a little tension for the game, he just knows how to chill back.”


Interesting, no?


The Lions have two fantastic backs, but each one brings something different, not only in the game but in the locker room.

And then, there is the master's degree that Vaki is learning from running backs coach Scottie Montgomery.




“He's a man of details,” Vaki said. “When Dan (Campbell) talks about, ‘understand the whole play, and understand how you fit in the play, and understand that if you don't do your job, how it affects someone else?’

“That's what Scotties does. He shows us the whole playbook. He's able to teach us the X's and O's.”


Different way of thinking


At the time, it seemed so different and unorthodox.


In the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the Lions selected Vaki, a college safety, intending to teach him how to play running back in the NFL.



Crazy, right?

Perhaps.


But the pick revealed how this team has been built around the edges with a new way of thinking.



It showed how intentional Lions general manager Brad Holmes is and how he tries to gain an edge at every position, not just on offense and defense but on special teams.

Instead of filling up the special teams unit with backups, Holmes flipped that thinking upside down.



Holmes identified a player with an unusual skill set. Vaki can make tackles (helping on special teams), but he can also run the ball and catch the ball, helping out on offense.

“We like him a lot,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said.


The result?


Vaki leads the Lions in solo special teams tackles (five) and has been nominated to represent the Lions at the Pro Bowl (here’s the link to vote for him). For the Pro Bowl fan ballot, which counts as 33% of the overall Pro Bowl ballot along with player vote and head coach vote, each team is required to list an additional “special teamer” on the ballot, in addition to a returner, kicker, punter and long snapper. So, Vaki is listed as the Lions' additional special teamer.


“When you get your shot, make the most of it,” Vaki said of his approach to special teams. “Don’t be scared. Don't be tense. Go out there. Don't be too hyped. Just go out there and do your job."

In the Lions' victory over the Bears on Thanksgiving, Vaki got 18 snaps on special teams – or 75 percent of the special teams reps. And against the Indianapolis Colts, he got 20 special teams plays (83 percent).




When you see how much he’s getting onto the field on special teams, you can understand why Holmes used a draft pick on him. Anything they get out of him on offense, at this stage of his career, is a bonus.

“He’s a four-core guy for us," Campbell said. "He plays like a safety, which is what he was in college. So, he’s growing, he’s continuing, we slowly try to give him a couple of plays in the offense just to help him, but he’s been an asset.”



He has run the ball six times for 14 yards.

And he showed off his hands against the Tampa Bay, when punter Jeff Fox threw Vaki a 17-yard pass for a first down on a fake punt.



“I think Vaki’s done a great job for us,” special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said on Oct. 10. “He’s got a good skillset. Obviously, his college experience probably helps. He was a defensive player and an offensive player in college, so he can play coverage aspects on special teams and return. He obviously has the catch for us on the fake, that’s a big play there. He’s done a good job in protection on punt, and really on all four phases I feel like he’s done a good job, I think. Whatever he’s got to continue to improve, all of us do, myself included, but I think he’ll continue to get better and better and better.”

In my eyes, the Lions taking Vaki made a massive statement: they were completing the puzzle.

A puzzle that was ready to make a run for the Super Bowl.



So, instead of trying to find another developmental piece, they were giving a different kind of player to Fipp to use on special teams.

“When it comes to special teams, it's just being able to go and just let loose,” he said. “Fipp tries to make the playbook fun. He just lets you go out there and play ball. He's gonna put you in the best position, he's gonna put you in the right matchup, and then he just expects you to, don't be a robot. Don't be a bot out there. Just go out and just make as many plays as you can each and every game. That's it. That's my mentality.”



Oh, yes, that’s a big part of it, too.



Maybe, the biggest part.

It’s not just his physical skills.



It’s his mentality to play all over the field.

And it's why the Lions nominated him for the Pro Bowl.



Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel

[whatever_gong82]

The NFL’s best athlete was made in Samoa, but Penei Sewell is a perfect fit in the Motor City

Paywall article.


Dan Pompei
Dec 4, 2024


DETROIT — On a first-quarter play on Thanksgiving, Penei Sewell lined up at tight end instead of his usual right tackle position. At the snap of the ball, the 6-foot-5, 335-pound Sewell turned and burst into his own backfield on an end around. He took a handoff from quarterback Jared Goff while running to his right and looked to throw. Then he reverted to what he knew best.


His stiff arm took Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn to the ground — and has since become a viral meme. Sewell then broke a tackle attempt by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds before three defenders wrestled him to the sideline in one of the most impressive sacks taken in NFL history.

That’s how Sewell played as a child in Samoa. While some of his future Lions teammates trained with virtual reality goggles under the supervision of $200-an-hour coaches, Penei and his brothers used a water bottle filled with a mixture of sand and water for a ball. If one wasn’t available, they might use a coconut.



They made their fields on sea foam. Three against three or four against four, they left marks in the sand and on one another. Their games didn’t test skill as much as mettle. “It was more like rugby style than actual football,” he says. “We were mostly focused on hitting.”

And that’s why, for a moment at Ford Field last week, it was as if Sewell was back where he began.


In the early 1990s, Tropical Cyclones Ofa and Val hit American Samoa, devastating the small island chain located roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The Malaeimi village house Gabe Sewell lived in with his parents, sister, brother and two cousins was destroyed. Half of the structure still stood, but all that was left of the other half was wood planks, tin roof decking and other building materials. Gabe and the boys cleaned up the debris and used it to build a second house on the property. It was only 400 square feet, but they fortified and expanded it over time.



They called it “The Shack,” and it later became the home of Gabe, his wife, Arlene, and their five children — including Penei, the third of their four sons.

The Shack didn’t have a sink in the area they called the kitchen, so the boys took the dinner dishes with them in the shower. If it was raining hard enough, they didn’t turn on the water because the rusted roof above them leaked so much. There was no air conditioning, washer, dryer or vacuum cleaner. They had a television, but only a few channels, and to get reception they usually had to slap the back of it.


The Shack had just one bedroom, but it was designated as the holding place for clothes so no one slept in it. Instead, in the living room, they put down a large mattress a few inches thick. Gabe and Arlene lay in the middle with the kids surrounding them. Often, it wasn’t just immediate family. They frequently were joined by a cousin and other kids from the island — with as many as 11 people at a time sleeping on that mattress.

“There was so much laughter, so much playing and so many chores, we didn’t think anything of it,” Gabe says. “We were always busy, and we enjoyed each other’s company. The village kids would come and stay for a couple days. It was always nice having all the kids around.”



They grew ulu, also known as breadfruit, in their yard and cut their grass with a machete. They jumped off massive rocks into the Pacific and used wires and hooks without poles to catch fish. They ran up Matai Mountain, explored and then slid down.

Gabe’s father was a farmer. He prepared kalua pig — cooked in the earth — and brought it to Sunday get-togethers with other villagers, a potluck feast they call a to’ona’i. It was a simple life. “Rich with love,” Arlene says.




An American territory since 1900, Samoa was introduced to football after a wave of investment in the islands in the 1960s. Since 1971, more than 40 players born on the islands have played in the NFL, and players of Samoan descent — like Hall of Famers Junior Seau and Troy Polamalu — have become some of the league’s brightest stars.



According to the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, there are more than 60 current NFL players of Polynesian descent. And even though Polynesians comprise only .003 percent of the U.S. population, they made up 5.1 percent of the players selected in the 2024 draft.

In 2011, Steelers great Polamalu visited Saoma with other football players, including NFL stars Ryan Clark, Deuce Lutui, Rey Maualuga, Shaun Nua and Domata Peko — “One of the biggest things I can remember,” Gabe says. The three-day camp was for high school kids, but Penei, then 11, was able to participate because Gabe coached at Marist High School. The pro players brought cleats for more than 600 high school players and uniforms for seven teams. The kids performed a Siva Tau war dance in Polamalu’s honor.


Meeting Polamalu, who never lived on the islands, made the NFL feel attainable to Penei and others in attendance. Not coincidentally, five players who went to that camp now play in the league: Penei, his brothers Nephi and Noah — linebackers with the Saints and Bears, respectively — Patriots defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale and Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu.

In 2012, Gabe started looking for better medical care after experiencing chest pain. He and Arlene also knew their children would have more opportunities in the United States. But when the family planned their move to Utah, Penei objected, asking if he could stay in Samoa with his auntie. The answer, fortunately for him, was no.


Six years later, Sewell was one of the most highly recruited linemen in the country at Desert Hills High School in St. George, Utah. He chose Oregon from 23 scholarship offers, then started at left tackle in his first game. As a sophomore, he became the first Polynesian to win the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in college football.

At the end of that season, he warmed up for the 2020 Rose Bowl, the biggest game of his life. He was in the zone, not seeing or hearing anything, as he walked onto the field. But then he heard a voice calling his name.


“It was Isabelle,” he says of the Oregon cheerleader who had been an acquaintance for about a year. “We locked eyes for a second, and I just remembered that it felt good. It was, like, weird. And then I had to snap back out of it and go play the game.”



Sewell’s devastating blocks helped Oregon beat Wisconsin 28-27. Then he walked away with the roses — and the girl. A few months later, with COVID-19 isolation rules in effect, he stayed with Isabelle and her family. He opted out of the next season and declared for the 2021 draft.

Sewell became the first draft pick of the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell regime in Detroit and has thrived since being moved to right tackle, where he is widely considered the best in the NFL. Quarterback Jared Goff, who threw Sewell a 9-yard touchdown pass in 2022, says he might be the best athlete in the NFL.


Campbell, who used Sewell on a hook-and-ladder play this year, has said if he had a copy of the lineman, one would play tight end. “I’m not kidding,” the coach, a former NFL tight end himself, says. And given Sewell’s passing assignment last week, he might be the only offensive lineman in history more likely to be sacked than to give up one.

Sewell’s athleticism and versatility allow the Lions to move him all around the field after the snap of the ball, making him a weapon in the screen game. Lions center Frank Ragnow believes he is one of the most valuable non-quarterbacks in the league: “When it comes to everything he does as a tackle, he’s one of one.” Ragnow also says Sewell is one of the hardest practicing players on the Lions, which makes him the embodiment of Campbell’s “bite a kneecap off” mentality.


Some — including ESPN’s Mina Kimes and Mike Greenberg and NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal — have suggested Sewell should be a candidate for offensive player of the year, an award that has never been won by an offensive lineman.


At 24, Sewell is a two-time captain. Last year, Goff asked him to take over the weekly pregame speeches on the field. Sewell gets very animated, and it all comes from the heart. “When I’m giving those speeches, I can’t see, I can’t hear,” he says. “I just speak.”

“He’s a good man with a good heart, but put him on the field and he becomes a grizzly bear that wants you out of his territory,” Campbell says. “He’s a team guy that’s competitive, tough, gritty, smart, hardworking and resilient. Calling him a cornerstone piece is selling him short — he’s the slab under it all.”



The morning after the Lions’ Monday night victory over the Seahawks in Week 4, Arlene was preparing to leave Penei’s house for the airport near 5 a.m. when she found him still awake reviewing tape of the 13-point win. Arlene works in Hawaii as the chief information officer at Brigham Young Hawaii, and whenever she travels to the mainland to watch one of her sons play, she brings a Ti leaf lei —an “ula” in Samoan.

“It symbolizes our love and prayers of protection,” she says. “I also pray that our ancestors are with them.”


On Penei’s right shoulder and arm is an ornate tattoo that pays homage to his heritage. Waves represent the power that lies within as well as the calm necessary to weather life’s storms. A centipede serves as a reminder of all creatures’ significance. Birds symbolize messengers from a greater being who can guide us through worldly challenges. On his right inner biceps is the word “Samoa.”

When Polamalu visited the islands, Sewell was struck by the Steeler great’s gentleness after seeing fierceness on the field. He was fascinated with the duality. Sewell wanted to be like Polamalu. Still does.


“He was so soft-spoken and genuine, very genuine. He might have been the nicest guy on earth,” Sewell says. “Now I feel there are kids out there who feel the same way about me as I felt about him, so I try to live my life as a good example. The torch has been passed on.”

Polynesian players in high school and college often message him on Instagram telling him he is a role model. Sewell has worked with his younger cousin, Kingsley Suamataia, a rookie offensive tackle for the Chiefs, and encouraged his three Polynesian teammates — tackle Gio Manu, guard Netane Muti and running back Sione Vaki.


“I see him as an inspiration because my family’s done the same thing as his, making the great migration to America and going through trials and tribulations,” Manu says. “It’s inspiring, and it motivates me to hopefully be in his shoes one day.”



Penei and his siblings have not been back to Samoa since they left. They have talked about returning as a family someday and hosting the kind of gathering Polamalu did. For now, there are other priorities.

Last offseason, Penei signed a four-year, $112 million contract extension with the Lions that made him the highest-paid lineman in the NFL. Shortly after he signed the deal, he bought a new home — one with about 6,000 more square feet of living space than The Shack. Over the summer, the cheerleader and the football player became Mrs. and Mr. They are parents to Malaki, 2, and Malai, 1. Isabelle is expecting their third child.



Penei takes Malaki to the park almost every day. Malaki likes it when Penei chases him and cries when his father leaves for practice. Penei gives both of his children baths before bedtime, then he dims the lights and cradles them. As their eyelids become heavy, he sings a song his parents sang to him — and their parents sang to them.

Samoan students start their school day with it. The faithful sing it before prayer. Moms and dads like Arlene and Gabe sing it before athletic events. Softly and sweetly, Penei sings “Fa’afetai I Le Atua” to his children.


Fa’afetai i le atua

lena tatou tupu ai

ina ua na alofa fua

ia te tatou uma

Translated, it means:

Thanks, be to God

Who is our creator

For his unconditional love,

He gives to us all


And for a moment, Penei Sewell is back where he started.


Dan Pompei is a senior writer for The Athletic who has been telling NFL stories for four decades. He is one of 49 members on the Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors board and one of nine members on the Seniors Committee. In 2013, he received the Bill Nunn Award from the Pro Football Writers of America for long and distinguished reporting. He was a Zenger Prize winner in 2024. Follow Dan on Twitter @danpompei

[whatever_gong82]

Contextualizing Lions' woes to the most injury-ravaged roster of the past decade

Justin Rogers
Dec 4


Allen Park — The Baltimore Ravens' entered the 2021 season with typically lofty expectations, despite premature postseason exits each of the past three years.

But the injury bug had a different vision for the franchise. The roster ravaging began in the offseason and never let up. And despite pushing valiantly forward through the woes, including an early-season five-game winning streak and an 8-3 start, the attrition eventually caught up to the Ravens.


The knockout blow was a severe ankle injury to star quarterback Lamar Jackson, leading to the Ravens losing their final six contests. It remains the franchise’s only absence from the postseason since 2017.


There are a few publications that attempt to contextualize the impact of injuries on NFL teams' seasons. One of the most popular is the defunct Football Outsiders, which has been maintained by many of the minds behind that entity at For the Numbers. Regardless of the platform, the 2021 Ravens are considered by all as the most injury-affected team of the past decade.

And while it’s too early to try to summarize what the 2024 Detroit Lions are going through, those Ravens, who placed 25 players on injured reserve, provide us a baseline understanding regarding the uniqueness of the challenges the Lions are battling through.


Before we dive into how the Lions’ problems stack up, we should first recap what happened to the Ravens in 2021, position by position.


Quarterback: As noted above, Jackson, the league’s MVP in 2019, suffered an ankle injury in the early stages of the team’s Week 14 game against Cleveland. The Ravens would go on to lose that divisional matchup as well as the next four weeks with their starting QB sidelined.


Offensive line: Star left tackle Ronnie Stanley played in the season opener before missing the remainder of the year with an ankle injury. Patrick Mekari, his replacement in the lineup, would also miss four games with an ankle injury, while Week 1 starting left guard Tyre Phillips would sit out nine weeks with two separate injuries. The top interior backup, Ben Cleveland, also had a midseason stint on injured reserve.


Running back: Arguably no position group was hit harder as the team lost its top three backs before the season started. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards suffered torn ACLs while Justice Hill ruptured his Achilles.

Baltimore is a team that leans on its rushing attack and found itself scrambling ahead of Week 1. The team ultimately signed three accomplished veterans in early September — Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray and LeVeon Bell — to shoulder the load.


Wide receiver: While there weren’t any season-ending injuries in the room, Reshod Bateman missed the first four weeks with a groin injury, free-agent signing Sammy Watkins sat out three with a thigh issue, and Miles Boykin, a 13-game starter a year earlier, was banged up much of the season and finished with one catch in 2021.


Tight end: If there was a bright spot that year for Baltimore, it was Mark Andrews, who played in every game for only the second time in his career and posted what remains his best production: 107 catches for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns.

Where the team got dinged was backup Nick Boyle, a key contributor to the run game. He was limited to five games and 95 snaps by a torn hamstring and blown-out knee.


Defensive line: Baltimore’s defensive front was dealt a big blow early when Derek Wolfe couldn’t shake a back injury and missed the entire season. He would never play another down in the NFL.

The rest of the front held up reasonably well, relatively speaking, with Calais Campbell missing two games and defensive tackle Brandon Williams sidelined four by a shoulder issue.


Linebacker: Starter L.J. Fort tore his ACL in August. Like Wolfe, it ended up being a career-ender for the veteran defender.


Secondary: The defensive backfield was another group decimated by injuries, starting with cornerback Marcus Peters being lost for the season with an ACL tear in training camp.


Additionally, part of the Peters’ replacement plan, Chris Westry, missed most of the year with a knee injury. Veteran Jimmy Smith missed multiple games with both ankle and neck injuries, and the starter opposite Peters, Marlon Humphrey, missed the final five games, all losses, with a torn pec.


At safety, starter DeShon Elliott was lost for the year and missed the final 11 games after also tearing his pec.

When it’s laid out, the devastation is clear. The Ravens dealt with injuries to starters at nearly every position group, many of them season-ending. It’s a minor miracle they sustained as long as they did, but similar to the present-day Lions, it’s a well-coached franchise, typically with tremendous depth and high standards. Next man up isn't just a phrase, it carries expectations.


The way injuries have affected the Lions has been far different. In fact, they’ve remained largely remained unscathed on one side of the ball.

The only time Jared Goff hasn’t been on the field is when he’s given way to backup Hendon Hooker in three blowouts. They’ve had a few minor concerns along the offensive line, but nothing requiring an IR stint. The running backs and tight ends have mostly been available, sans Sam LaPorta missing one game with a banged-up shoulder. And in the receiver room, the only loss has been Kalif Raymond, No. 4 on the depth chart, but still a tough blow on special teams as a former All-Pro returner.


No, where Detroit has been absolutely crushed is on defense.

Up front, they’ve suffered through the long-term losses of Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, John Cominsky, Kyle Peko and rookie Mekhi Wingo. They're also currently dealing with some more short-term concerns with Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike and DJ Reader. That could facilitate a bigger role for Brodric Martin, the second-year developmental player who was robbed of that development while on the shelf with a knee injury during the first half of this season.


In the next level, the linebackers have been hit equally as hard as the front. Derrick Barnes remains likely out for the year and Malcolm Rodriguez definitely is after tearing his ACL last week. Additionally, Alex Anzalone and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are currently on injured reserve, although there’s hope both can come back near the end of the regular season.

The secondary has been more fortunate, but not without issues. Emmanuel Moseley, the projected starter at the nickel, and No. 3 safety Ifeatu Melifonwu suffered long-term issues in camp. Moseley just got back and has yet to play a defensive snap, while Melifonwu remains out of action.


The starting five to open the year — Carlton Davis III, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch — have been more fortunate, with two not missing any time and the other three sitting out just one game apiece, assuming Davis returns to action this Thursday.

Rookie reserve Ennis Rakestraw did land on IR, but he’d only seen limited playing time through 12 weeks.


Comparatively, what the Lions are going through on defense stacks up against the 2021 Ravens and likely any other roster from the past decade. Not that it surprises anyone, they’re down at least four starters, at least a couple replacement starters, and several key backups entering the stretch run.

What remains surprising is how well they’ve held up after each blow, with the past six opponents averaging 13.8 points. But the relative durability of Detroit’s offense, when contrasting the two rosters, is a reminder of how much worse it could be and why Detroit's Super Bowl aspirations remain in play, even if weakened by their ongoing tribulations.



Email: jrogers@detroitfootball.net

X: Justin_Rogers

Bluesky: Justin-Rogers

[edindetroit]

Think we could use him back here?

Nope.

[froot loops]

They have an open spot on the practice squad.

[maxw3ll]

Take all the talent you can. Injuries to Detroit Lions are in style.

He brings value even if it redundant today.