Getty Tyrell Crosby hoists David Blough in the air.
The Detroit Lions figure to have one of the deeper offensive lines in the league, and evidence of that figures to be presented by the fact that Tyrell Crosby may not have a starting job to begin the year.
Crosby, a former tackle who looked to be trending upward after starting 11 games as a tackle in 2020, has now been transitioning to the guard spot given the depth the team added at tackle by drafting Penei Sewell, another former Oregon Duck just like Crosby. With that in mind, Crosby will have to shift to the guard spot for the team.
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Doing that has been something which has been a bit of an adjustment for the lineman, but as he admitted when speaking to the media after practice on Tuesday, August 24 in an interview posted to DetroitLions.com, it has been a learning process that he has enjoyed, even as he has been fighting off a few injuries early in camp.
“You definitely learn to have more appreciation for guards, tackles always make fun of them,” Crosby joked with a laugh. “It’s definitely an adjustment, but it’s fun just trying to learn a new position. I really enjoy it.”
In terms of specifics of such a switch playing out, Crosby claims that the speed of the game is something which changes from one position to the other, as well as changing how he deals with some of the opposing players coming at him in the spot.
“Really things happen a lot quicker. If you get a three-technique he’s on you sooner, things like that. More technique things,” he said.
In the end, Crosby is grateful for the support of his staff most of all as he sets out in a new endeavor.
“It’s awesome having the coach’s support, regardless of what position they want me to play. Just showing me that they trust me to play either,” he said.
After an offseason of trade rumors, Crosby appears to be sticking in Detroit now, and whether or not he plays could depend on how quickly he is able to pick up a new position and earn the trust of the coaches in terms of game reps.
Tyrell Crosby Praises Penei Sewell’s Development
One of the bigger topics during training camp so far has been the development of offensive tackle Penei Sewell. While Sewell has struggled in the minds of some, his coaching staff continues to build him up and that is also true of the Lions players who compete with him every day on the field like Crosby. As he said, he has been impressed with the growth from the start of the offseason to now.
“It’s been fun watching him grow since he’s been here. I’ve seen him since high school so it’s been enjoyable to see him continue to progress every day,” Crosby said.
Later, Crosby would go on to cite that Sewell has been playing “amazing” when asked to break down, so it’s clear that Crosby thinks highly of what he is bringing to the game thus far.
Crosby’s Stats and Career Highlights
Since being a fifth-round pick of the team back in the 2018 draft, Crosby has been seen as a player who was a steal given his body type and also what he has been able to do at times as a starter in the league. So far in his career, Crosby has played in 38 games with 11 starts, making him a pretty durable contributor to the team’s offensive front all things considered.
Here’s a look at some of what made Crosby special on the field in college:
Seeing if Crosby can now apply some of that violence on the field for the Lions at a new position will be interesting to see, in addition to whether or not he sees the field quickly at the spot or not in the days ahead.
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