The Detroit Lions may have just tipped their hand when it comes to the future of their offensive line.
During his recent appearance on the Lions Collective podcast, general manager Brad Holmes offered insight into how the team is approaching the tackle position. And in doing so, he revealed something important about Penei Sewell.
Flexibility is the plan. And that could mean a major shift is on the table.
Lions High on Larry Borom
Holmes spent time discussing newly added offensive lineman Larry Borom, and it is clear the Lions see real value in what he brings.
“Looking at Larry Borom, we obviously did a lot of work on him coming out in the draft process.”
That evaluation did not stop once Borom entered the league.
“When he was with Chicago, we had a lot of exposure to him playing different spots. But seeing what he did in Miami, especially at right tackle, and then looking at the film, I thought, ‘Man, this is probably the most consistent ball I’ve seen him play.’”
Holmes pointed to right tackle as the spot where Borom has shown the most consistency.
“Then you take a deeper dive into him at right tackle in the past, and you start seeing a level of consistency there versus the guard spots or the left tackle spots. Not saying he can’t play those spots too, because he can — but that’s what kept him up there for us.”
In other words, Borom is not just depth. He is someone Detroit believes can contribute in a meaningful way.
“Oh yeah, he’s starting-capable. He’s started a lot of games.”
A Move That Was About Fit and Value
Holmes also made it clear that Borom checked multiple boxes for the organization.
“In terms of the player, his ability, his fit, and the fact that we were able to fit him financially, it made a lot of sense.”
That combination of talent, versatility, and cost-effectiveness is exactly what the Lions have prioritized under Holmes.
What This Means for Penei Sewell
Here is where things get interesting.
Holmes openly discussed the possibility of Sewell shifting to left tackle, something that could reshape the entire offensive line.
“I think that’s the beauty of having a player like him — you always have that flexibility, the possibility of him playing left tackle.”
And importantly, this is not a projection. Sewell has already done it.
“He’s done it before. It’s not anything foreign to him.”
That flexibility has allowed Detroit to approach roster building differently this offseason.
“Even as we were going through free agency, we weren’t really pigeonholed into saying, ‘We’ve got to get a left tackle’ or ‘We’ve got to get a right tackle.’ We were more like, ‘What’s the best tackle for us, and then we’ll adjust as needed?’ That’s kind of the beauty of it.”
Reading Between the Lines
Holmes may not have explicitly said Sewell is moving to left tackle, but the message is clear.
The Lions are not locked into one configuration.
Instead, they are building a group of linemen who can shift based on matchups, performance, and overall roster construction. With Borom capable of playing right tackle and Sewell able to slide to the left side, Detroit has options.
And in today’s NFL, options are everything.
Final Thoughts
Brad Holmes did not make a formal announcement, but he did reveal the Lions’ mindset.
They are not chasing positions. They are acquiring talent and figuring out the best alignment afterward.
With a player like Penei Sewell, that approach becomes possible.
And if the Lions decide their best offensive line includes Sewell protecting the blindside, they now have the flexibility to make it happen.
