I hear what you are saying about the cap hits… and I also would guess you know those cap hits are higher in furure years because the Lions structured the deal that way… to allow a cap bit hit of only $4.9 million in 2021… which makes the 4 years of '21-'25 total at about $59.3 million.
It doesn’t matter why the Lions did what they did. The reality is the reality. I don’t have an issue with Decker and I don’t want to get rid of him. I think its silly. But in terms of someone looking to save money to overpay free agents who don’t want to be here…the cap hits for the future years matters.
Now - if we were going back to a different discussion of how much LTs make vs RTs or something like that…the structure of the deal is less important than the overall figures.
Every lineman wants to be LT because it’s the most sexy and every owner has seen Blind Spot and so think they understand the concept behind overpaying.
Make Decker and Sewell do rock paper scissors. Yes someone is going to be unhappy.
Bc of the Achilles. He made a bad play on the ball and missed an assignment in the run game. He was otherwise okay. Not as good as we need him to be but nowhere near as bad as the pitchfork patrol is making it seem. Hopefully he’s okay.
I’m not going to bag on the Lions for taking what looked to be a generational talent and the clear best player on the board when they picked, even though they already had a quality starter at that spot. For his first pro game, after not playing for almost two years, against one of the premier pass-rushers in the NFL, he looked outstanding. He looked like a natural–excellent feet, smart, and nasty as hell, looking to take guys OUT every chance he had.
This is exactly what you hope to see from a high first-round pick, especially for a rebuilding team: a guy who looks like he could become one of the top players in the league at his position, and soon. The fact that we have another quality OT on the roster is the kind of problem I can live with.
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Eagles RT makes $18 million/yr (signed deal 2 years ago).
Eagles LT makes $16 million/year. (signed last week)
The Eagles…
Saints?
Just signed their RT to $19 million/yr deal (Ramczyk).
Their LT is in the last year of a $13 million/yr deal, and they have not made an effoet to extend him yet.
Colts?
Signed their RT to $17.5 million/yr extension.
The LT got signed for $8.3 million on a 1 yr deal.
Vikings?
Let their LT leave as UFA in 2021, and Reiff could have been kept for $7.5 million.
The just gave their RT $18.5 million/yr.
This is a progression that is still im pocess… but the gap in salary has already tightened significantly. It will likely continue.
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I think it’s a huge assumption to say that Sewell playing better yesterday has to do with him being on the left vs. the right.
There are lots of variables in play, the two biggest being left vs. right and the other being regular season vs. preseason.
There’s lots of goofy stuff going on in the preseason. The intensity and normalcy of the regular season (along with playing alongside other good players) could very well be a bigger reason for the difference.
There’s no data to say that Sewell wouldn’t have kicked ass at RT yesterday. If the coaches feel that having Penei move to right is in the best overall interest for the team, I can’t see a good argument for not giving them the benefit of the doubt.
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Also, for those wound up about what we do when it’s time to pay Sewell his first big contract… that’s not a real worry.
If we want to keep him, he’s going to get paid top of the market tackle money (assuming he’s pretty good or better). Period. Everyone should make peace with that well in advance, regardless of which side he plays in the interim.
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I brought this up during the preseason. For someone like Sewell he’s facing NFL guys for the first time but without a real “gameplan” or intensive film study on what guys he’s going to be facing or what they like/don’t like to do. During the regular season its different. They show him the guys he’s facing and he gets insight on speed vs power vs hand placement, etc.
If you’re starting from scratch, I still think you have a small preference to protecting the blind spot. When I coached High School and Middle School, we almost never lined up in shot gun. This is different.
- it’s different because it’s pro, and the gap is closing between where the other team’s best athlete is lining up.
- This is different because we already have a guy whose muscle memory is engrained for 2 decades worth of playing LT.
In this particular scenario, it feels like it’s less disruptive to the team to move Sewell. I’d constantly nurture his ego and make sure he knows he will make more money than any Tackle in the game, if he continues to play the way he does…pump him up (which really just means “be honest,” in media sessions), and handle it well. Maybe he makes the shift when T-Deck retires? I dunno.
The approach I’m taking toward it is - I truly believe they know the situation better than me, they know the players better than me, they know football better than me, etc. I trust 'em.
I’m standing behind my statement that SeaWall is the best pick we’ve made since Suh played here. Standing up to Bosa the way he did was absolute fire! I saw Sewell make one terrible play where he totally whiffed, and several plays where he was perfect, along with many others where they didn’t call his name (which is fantastic for an OL). I’m thinking we’re all gonna be really happy with whatever the coaches decide to do. Think we keep both of them…and keep both of them happy, as well. Grateful to have T-Deck and SeaWall on the same OL…With a couple of others.
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a 6’8 guard would provide no leverage imo
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And an 17-18m per year guard. Oof.
They’re bookend tackles. I would prefer Sewell stay on the left side but I’m okay with whatever decision the Lions make.
One thing to keep in mind is I do believe that the Lions had planned for running to the right side behind Sewell and Vaitai to be our go to strength on offense. If that’s the case I can understand the desire to move him back.
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Shotgun obvious changes things as you are only blind to what you choose to be blind to at the time. That being said there will always be SOME time spent under center and going blind during the drop back. In that light I would always favor the left side but only slightly. Someone people are like 100 - 0 favoring it but I’m more like 52-48.
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Moving Decker to left guard screams “They are just LINEMEN WHATS THE BIG DEAL”
Yes - that’s a smart way to put it. Also how I feel.
Can I get an “amen”??? Or… if ya prefer…
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Sewell was a really great bright spot. This O has potential*
*which will probably be realized by our next QB.