ALLEN PARK >> One of the game’s best offensive linemen wants to become even more powerful.

Good luck to anyone in his way.

“Personally, I wanted to get stronger, definitely at the point of attack, both run game and pass game,” Detroit Lions right tackle Penei Sewell said Thursday, when asked what he wanted to improve most this offseason. “I just wanted to be more sturdy, while maintaining my conditioning because we do get to run more than others at the position. That’s the main thing going in, I just wanted to get bigger and stronger, while maintaining my speed and conditioning.”

Sewell has grown into one of the NFL’s most intimidating players since he entered the league as the 2021 NFL Draft’s seventh overall pick. He’s a strong pass blocker — Pro Football Focus has him on the hook for allowing two sacks since 2023 — but he really makes his money in the run game, as he often gets on the move and paves paths for running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Sewell routinely leads the way for his playmakers on screen passes, showing off a type of conditioning that’s rare for someone of his size.

An elite athlete who now wants to add even more muscle to his 6-foot-5, 335-pound frame, Sewell’s grade from PFF as a run blocker last season (91.5) ranked fifth among all offensive linemen. In 2023, his rating of 95.1 was first by a comfortable margin.

“I just stayed here in Michigan, working out with the strength staff,” Sewell said, discussing how he’s been chipping away at his offseason goal. “At the end of the day, it’s just moving big weight fast. I’m always trying to up the weight. Obviously, you’ve got to be smart with it. There’s also some risk going into lifting those types of weights, but I just lean on the guys here, the strength staff, and they do a great job. It’s just moving those heavy weights fast.”

Sewell’s excellence will make the life of Detroit’s new starting right guard easier, whoever that may be. The Lions have had someone different playing next to Sewell in each year of his career — from Halapoulivaati Vaitai in 2021 to Kevin Zeitler in 2024 — and that’ll continue in 2025, as Zeitler left this offseason for the Tennessee Titans.

Contenders to start next to Sewell include Graham Glasgow, who played right guard in 2023 but moved to left guard last season, 2024 sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany, and a couple of rookies, in second-rounder Tate Ratledge (Georgia) and fifth-rounder Miles Frazier (LSU).

“I didn’t really think about that,” Sewell said of playing with a new right guard each season. “… It’s just whoever is in there, we’ve got to go at the end of the day. I have a pretty good relationship with everyone in the room, so it doesn’t matter who’s in there. But I would say maybe the little difference is those initial thoughts of what you see out in a defense and if you have to say something or you don’t have to say something. Probably just those two things.”

Sewell, by his own description, is much more comfortable heading into this upcoming season than he has been in years past. Not only is he a fifth-year veteran, but he’s proven, without a doubt, to be one of the best at his position.

That confidence has led to Sewell wanting to take others under his wing. Between Ratledge, Frazier and undrafted rookie Mason Miller (North Dakota State), there’s no shortage of young talent he can influence. He’s experienced similar things to what they’re going through — Sewell was a left tackle in college but moved to the right side as a rookie, and Ratledge and Frazier have been getting work at multiple spots this offseason — and is willing to share what worked for him.

“It’s going to be a lot,” Sewell said, when asked what his advice would be for rookies playing out of their natural position. “You’re going to run into a lot of bumps in the road. You’re gonna have times where you kind of question yourself. At the end of the day, you’ve got to realize who you are (and) you’ve got to realize what you’re capable of, and just keep working at it. If you have the discipline to come in each and every day and (are) willing to put the work in, everything will fall into place.”

Sewell added: “Each year I have under my belt, that confidence just gets increased; that comfortability gets increased. I think now that leadership role starts to, I guess, take another step. Not only what my words carry, but my actions. I think that’s the most important thing.”