Report: Lions’ Penei Sewell agrees to record-setting 4-year extension

The Detroit Lions have made Wednesday an iconic day in franchise history. Just a few hours after it was reported that Amon-Ra St. Brown is getting a massive four-year extension, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo is now reporting that Penei Sewell is getting a record-breaking four-year extension of his own. Per Garafolo, the deal is worth a total of $112 million, including $85 million guaranteed. The deal, per Garafolo, makes Sewell the highest-paid offensive lineman in football.

The previously highest-paid deal for an offensive lineman (by average per year) was a three-year, $75 million contract ($25 million a year) for Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil. If the initial contract details are accurate, Sewell’s deal is for $28 million per year.

That’s right. The Lions now have the highest-paid offensive lineman and wide receiver in football (for now).

Sewell was Lions general manager Brad Holmes’ first draft pick—the seventh overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since being drafted, Sewell has locked down the team’s right tackle position. Over the course of three seasons, Sewell has made the Pro Bowl twice, and he was named first-team All-Pro in 2023 after being graded out as the NFL’s best tackle per PFF (92.8).

Sewell hasn’t just been excellent on the field, but he has been remarkably reliable, as well. He has only missed one career game in three seasons, and over the past two years, he hasn’t missed a single snap.

With Sewell and St. Brown now locked up, the Lions have secured the two biggest tentpoles of this franchise, and a new era of homegrown talent begins under Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell.

UPDATE: More contract details for Sewell’s deal:

UPDATE 2: Apparently the Lions actually exercised Sewell’s fifth-year option before agreeing to a new contract, so he’s actually now locked up for the next six seasons (one remaining year + fifth-year option + four-year extension):