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AROUND THE SHIELD — The Detroit Lions are making Penei Sewell and his family a happy clan.
The former Desert Hills High star inked a four-year, $112-million extension with the Lions that will pay him an average of $28 million per year, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
That would make Sewell, 23, the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, who also reported the figure. He surpasses the previous top salary of Houston's Laremy Tunsil ($25 million), Andrew Thomas of the New York Giants ($23.5 million) and Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers ($23 million).
Born in Malaeimi, American Samoa, a young Sewell moved to Utah with his family and prepped at Desert Hills in St. George, where he grew into a 6-foot-4 All-American two-way lineman by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl before settling on offensive tackle and signing with Oregon in 2018.
The Outland Trophy winner and unanimous All-American in 2019 was drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft by Detroit. Standing 6-foot-5 and 335-pounds, Sewell started every game of his three-year career with the Lions — 50 in all — en route to PFWA All-Rookie honors in 2021 and a pair of Pro Bowl selections in 2022 and 2023.
NFL's highest-paid offensive linemen: pic.twitter.com/yAIoEXgTEL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2024
It wasn't the only big signing Detroit made Wednesday. News of Sewell's extension came within hours of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown agreeing to a four-year extension worth more than $120 million, including $77 million guaranteed, according to the Associated Press.
St. Brown seemingly confirmed the extension with an Instagram post that read, "Four more years."
Another 2021 NFL draft pick, St. Brown came to the Lions via the fourth round out of USC and earned All-Pro honors last season, when he helped the Lions win a division title for hte first time in three decades and win two playoff games in the same season for the first time since winning the 1957 NFL title.
St. Brown totaled 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns on 119 receptions last year, bolstering his three-year line to 315 catches for 3,588 yards and 21 receiving scores.
The 2024 NFL draft starts Thursday at 6 p.m. MDT (ESPN, ABC).
Contributing: Associated Press
