The Detroit Lions signed veteran offensive tackle Kendall Lamm on Monday. Lamm joins the Lions after undrafted rookie Zein Obeid retired and left a hole on the offensive line depth chart.
It’s a smart signing by GM Brad Holmes. Lamm, 30, has been around several NFL teams and has starting experience. I covered Lamm for two of his former teams, the Houston Texans (2016-2018 seasons) and Cleveland Browns (2019-2020). Here’s my take on the follically gifted Appalachian State product.
Lamm has 28 career starts in his seven-year career. Almost half (13) came in the 2018 season for the Texans, where he was the primary starting right tackle from Week 4 onward, including a wild card playoff loss to the Colts.
Most right tackles tend to be more power-oriented players (think Penei Sewell) but Lamm has proven to be something of a pass-blocking specialist. That was especially true in his season as a starter in Houston. He’s just not a player who generates much movement in the run game and isn’t an aggressive slobber-knocker type of tackle. He was a poor schematic fit in Tennessee in 2021 for the style of run game the Titans like to roll with Derrick Henry.
Lamm is at his best in pass protection with the pass rusher aligned off the line (3-4 OLB). He’s got a decent first step and quick enough feet to slide and reset well against wide speed. Lamm can jab quickly with his punch and does a good job riding outside rushes around the top of the pocket, a trait that worked well with mobile Deshaun Watson at QB in Houston and also with Baker Mayfield in Cleveland.
Power rushers who can quickly get into his chest are a problem for Lamm, and that’s something unlikely to change now that he’s 30 and bounced around three teams. He does have some athleticism, something he showed in catching a touchdown pass in Cleveland in 2020:
#Browns with a BIG GUY TOUCHDOWN for a 17-0 lead over the #Titans
OT Kendall Lamm gets it in.pic.twitter.com/9E5BscFQNP
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 6, 2020
The Lions have some depth issues behind Sewell and left tackle Taylor Decker. Matt Nelson is still a work in progress as the swing tackle, and none of the crew of Dan Skipper, Darrin Paulo or Obinna Eze has stepped up enough this offseason to assuage any concerns. Lamm can absolutely win the No. 4 OT job and could push Nelson for the swing OT position, especially if he can handle the range in the run game.
Lions training camp notebook: Looking at the lines on Day 12
