Getty Dan Campbell speaks to the media before training camp in July 2021.
Penei Sewell’s introduction to the NFL with the Detroit Lions was a bumpy one on Friday night, but the young lineman is more than capable of bouncing back, and that’s just what Dan Campbell expects him to do.
While Sewell struggled early and rebounded for what most consider to be a so-so debut leading some to unjustly panic, Campbell had a lot to say about his rookie offensive tackle before practice on Monday, August 16, and everything was positive as it relates to where he is trending early in his career.
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Speaking with the media before the Monday practice, Campbell was asked what he likes about Sewell thus far early in his career. As he told everyone, he sees Sewell as the kind of player who can adapt and overcome quickly, as he’s seen him do that during practice already.
“I think just his ability to adjust, it really shows up. The way he’s grown. There’s things he gets beat on the day before and man, it’s not happening the next day or the next rep,” Campbell said. “Just to be able to go out there and face a new opponent like the other day. He didn’t throw his hand like he had been and you see him the next rep and he does it. I just think he’s a really good athlete, he’s got the right mindset. He’s all business. He’s aggressive, but he’s also able to adapt quickly, especially for a rookie. Because he has the talent and the want to and the knowledge to work at it and everything, he is able to adjust quickly, which is a good thing.”
Obviously, it isn’t reasonable to think the coach would throw his player under the bus, but in spite of that, this quote shows that Campbell has seen some major resilience out of Sewell already in his young career. As he continues to see things, remain dedicated to his craft and work hard, improvement will most likely come. That seems to be what Campbell believes at this point in time.
Watching for that adjustment and growth will now be what Lions fans can do moving forward with Sewell.
Dan Campbell’s Support of Penei Sewell Speaks Volumes
Hearing Campbell talk about what makes Sewell special should be something which eases the nerves of anxious Lions fans. The coach has been there and done that in the NFL in terms of seeing the adjustment of rookie players, and has even had to walk that walk himself. For him to speak out in support of Sewell’s positive characteristics should make anyone who is the least bit nervous feel much better about where the rookie will soon be trending.
Naturally, in the snap-judgement social media driven society which is the norm in 2021, folks didn’t want to let Sewell or Lions fans hear the end of the fact that the youngster struggled right away. It became a huge topic of conversation during the game, and every Sewell rep was strictly analyzed from that point forward.
Folks need to take a step back and realize that Sewell is not a finished product. He’s been hyped for his preparation and his potential thus far, but in terms of his actual play, it could be a while before he dominates on the field. Expecting that domination from day one might be a fool’s errand for fans considering the difficulty level the lineman is dealing with.
As Campbell says, Sewell is a player with a good head on his shoulders. That should help his adaptation to the league for 2021 and beyond, and should ease any early concerns folks may have.
Pro Football Focus Not Worried About Sewell’s Debut
One such site that would likely agree with the coach’s sentiment over Sewell would be Pro Football Focus. After the first week of preseason action, the site broke down some rookie report cards, and while writer Anthony Treash admitted Sewell looked rusty by his own definition and struggled at times, he cautioned folks to not to read too much into what played out during the contest, because this was the first game Sewell had played since 2019, plus his first game at right tackle in his career.
All things considered, this is the right approach to take, and notable coming from a respected site like PFF. Sewell has time to learn and grow, and anybody coming out with a hot take about his performance might be forced to eat those words if he is able to become elite as he gets comfortable.
Judging by what Campbell sees in practice, it seems like a safe bet that will happen.
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