Penei Sewell’s move to left tackle is no small shuffle for the Detroit Lions, and Sunday’s matchup with the New Orleans Saints is going to put it under the microscope right away.
Detroit’s offensive line is set to look a little different than fans may be used to. There could be a rotation at left guard, and rookie Blake Miller is slated to start at right tackle. That shift sends Sewell to the left side full time for the first time in his pro career.
The switch isn’t unfamiliar territory for Sewell. He played left tackle in college, and he also lined up there in his NFL debut after Taylor Decker went down with a sudden injury. That debut came against 49ers DE and future defensive player of the year (2023) Nick Bosa, who walked away impressed.
"He's going to be good," Bosa said. "He's more comfortable on the left, and I could tell from the tape I saw of him on the right. I told him after the game he's better on the left."
Now Sewell gets a much different kind of test from New Orleans.
The Saints closed 2025 at 6-11, but they found their stride late, going 4-1 over their final five games. The biggest reason was their defense against the pass. New Orleans finished fourth in the league by allowing 179.2 passing yards per game, and it also landed in the top 10 in sacks with 45.
There is one major wrinkle: Cam Jordan will reportedly miss Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Jordan has been the Saints’ anchor since Drew Brees left, and his absence changes the picture for Detroit’s front.
Even so, the Saints still bring real heat off the edge. Chase Young is coming off what was easily his best season as a pro, posting ten sacks and 38 tackles in 2025, both career highs. The former No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Commanders in 2020 is already on his third team, but the fit in New Orleans appears to be working.
On the other side, Carl Granderson had six sacks last season and is expected to line up opposite Young. Granderson is not the edge threat most likely to give Sewell trouble, but Young absolutely can.
Still, with his experience and his level of talent, Sewell looks built for this kind of assignment. Sunday will be the first big checkpoint in the Lions’ new look up front.
In Other News...
Lions Make An Unexpected Week 1 D Line Move Before Saints
The Lions made an early defensive line adjustment ahead of their season opener, releasing Levi Onwuzurike from the active roster and rookie Tyre West from the practice squad. Onwuzurike had spent much of training camp on the roster bubble after dealing with injuries, but he still broke camp on the initial 53-man roster, making the move a notable shift this close to Week 1.
It is the kind of transaction that suggests Detroit is still fine-tuning the back end of its defensive front while the games now count for real. Dan Campbell also addressed the teams travel plans for an upcoming game in Germany, another reminder that the Lions are already juggling more than just the Saints and the usual opening-week prep. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Part Of A Bills Gameday Twist Detroit Fans Will Notice
Before the Lions kick off at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 13, the pregame scene will carry a distinctly cross-border flavor. The Bills announced they will play both the American and Canadian national anthems, with Aulii Cravalho handling the U.S. anthem and the Barenaked Ladies performing the Canadian one, a small but notable nod to the audience Buffalo has long tried to reach north of the border.
It also fits with the Bills broader push to deepen ties with Canadian fans, including an expanded radio network now reaching three major Canadian markets. For Detroit, it is just another wrinkle in a road trip that already comes with plenty of attention, because the atmosphere around this game is shaping up to be about more than what happens once the opening whistle finally sounds. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Are Taking A Real Gamble With One Starting Spot
The Lions are heading into Week 1 with an open question on the left side of their offensive line, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing says the team plans to keep leaning into it. Christian Mahogany and Ben Bartch are set to share the work at left guard as Detroit tries to sort out who fits best in the spot, with the competition framed less as a setback than as a chance to sharpen the depth chart before the season settles in.
Petzing stressed that the rotation is part of the process and is expected to keep going unless something breaks down. For Detroit, it is a calculated gamble at one of the most important spots up front, because the Lions are still trying to determine whether they already have the answer on the roster or whether the job will eventually belong to one player alone. [Read more 🡒]