The Detroit Lions were busy on NFL Draft eve, signing offensive tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to massive contract extensions.
For general manager Brad Holmes and the defending NFC runner-ups, locking up two of their core young pieces made a ton of sense.
As it relates to Sewell’s extension, he’s now the highest-paid offensive lineman in the history of the National Football League. The numbers are staggering.
The $28 million per season surpasses Laremy Tunsil of the Miami Dolphins as the highest rate among offensive tackles in the NFL by a whopping $3 million. The $85 million in practical guarantees is $18 million more than Andrew Thomas of the New York Giants.
As we’re seeing with market dynamics at pretty much every position around the NFL, things are changing rapidly. The growing salary cap coupled with record television/streaming revenue will make this the name of the game moving forward.
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A look at how the Penei Sewell contract extension impacts the NFL offensive tackle market
Sewell, 23, was the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He joined his other classmates in being eligible for an extension for the first time in his career. There are others who are now likely looking at massive contract extensions from the 2021 draft.
- Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers: The 13th pick of Los Angeles back in 2021, Slater earned a Pro Bowl nod and was a Second-Team All-Pro as a rookie. After missing all but three games of the 2022 season, he returned to start all 17 this past year. Slater is now likely in line for an extension that will come close to matching Sewell’s.
- Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings: Darrisaw has been nothing if not consistent in three seasons with the Vikings. He has started 39 of the 41 games in which he’s appeared, including all 29 over the past two years. Darrisaw graded out as one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL per Pro Football Focus metrics in 2023. Look for Minnesota to extend him now that the market has been set.
- Dan Moore, Pittsburgh Steelers: Lesser known than the two mentioned above, Moore has started all 49 games in which he’s appeared since Pittsburgh made him a fourth-round pick back in 2021. He’s not flashy. He’s likely not a top-end tackle in the NFL. But he’s consistent. Sewell’s contract extension ups his value moving forward.
Not only will the contract extension Penei Sewell signed with Detroit impact his classmates, but others are also going to now want to get paid big time. Such is the nature of the beast in today’s NFL.
Tristan Wirfs is set to enter the fifth-year of his rookie contract after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made him a first-round pick in the in the 2020 NFL Draft. All he’s done in four seasons is earn three Pro Bowl nods and make two All-Pro teams. If there is a player that will surpass Sewell at this position during the 2024 offseason, it’s Wirfs.
We also wouldn’t be surprised if future Hall of Famers Trent Williams (San Francisco 49ers) and Lane Johnson (Philadelphia Eagles) ink new contracts with their teams. Williams ($23.01 million) and Johnson ($20.19) million are now being paid well below market value.
Looking forward to the 2025 NFL free agent class, the likes of Cam Robinson (Jacksonville Jaguars), Garett Bolles (Denver Broncos) and Taylor Decker (Detroit Lions) could be looking at larger-than-expected pay days. That will all be dictated by what we see above.
