The Detroit Lions have one of the beest offensive tackle tandems in the NFL with right tackle Penei Sewell and left tackle Taylor Decker, and that was reinforced in recent offensive tackle rankings from ESPN.
On ESPN's annual list, which is based on the opinions of NFL executives, scouts and coaches, Sewell, who has become one of the best tackles in the NFL the last two years, landed at No. 2, falling behind only San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams.
"Dominant run blocker and arguably the best anchor in pass protection," one AFC executive said in the article. "Some OTs are great pass blockers but just average in the run game. He's elite in both phases. Very consistent. Plays with an edge."
"A dog, physically elite, improved every year," an NFL coordinator added.
While Decker did not make the top 10, he at least received some recognition in the honorable mentions list, with one NFL coordinator saying, "Good size, brings an element of toughness, good run blocker, solid in protection."
Earlier this offseason, the Lions made sure to lock up Sewell long term, with Detroit giving the former No. 7 overall pick a four-year, $112 million deal, making him the highest-paid tackle in the sport in terms of annual average ($28 million).
Meanwhile, Decker is entering the final year of his contract. However, he did reveal that he and the Lions have had entry-level conversations about an extension, and the 29-year-old sounded confident that something could get done.
"There's just a lot of variables in play, but it's not something I think will be an issue," he said back in April.
