For Logan Stenberg, Penalties Are a Major Red Flag

Detroit's fourth-round pick Logan Stenberg had penalty issues at Kentucky.

Logan Stenberg may not be quite ready to contribute regularly during his rookie season in the NFL.

Detroit's fourth-round pick was one of two guards that general manager Bob Quinn invested a draft pick in along with Jonah Jackson out of Ohio State. 

During his senior season, Stenberg displayed nastiness and a skill set that made Quinn believe he was worth the investment. 

But, he also displayed concerning weaknesses. 

Among them were pre-snap penalties that stalled drives for the Wildcats.

"We have to get out of the personal games that are going on within the game. It does not help you win," Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops said following a loss to Mississippi State. 

Stoops added, “We have got to find that balance, and we have to find that right mentality for an offensive line. When it is crossing over that, it is counterproductive. I don’t necessarily like what I see all the time. Not just with Logan, but on our team.”

Stenberg must learn to translate the aggression productively at the next level. 

During a film review session, Nick Baumgardner and Chris Burke of The Athletic examined some of the strengths and weaknesses that Stenberg regularly displayed.

Baumgardner commented on one of Stenberg's undisciplined plays against the Florida Gators: 

"You can talk trash, but I thought some of that got a bit more off the rails than it needed to. At one point during the Florida game, you can see him arguing with a ref about something while he’s blocking a guy. I mean, that’s amusing! But it’s not sustainable at this level."

Stenberg started in 39 consecutive games while at Kentucky, and was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2019. It was also a season in which he failed to allow a sack.

For Detroit, the offensive line can take steps forward only if the additions of the young offensive linemen pan out. 

Let's hope Stenberg learns to play disciplined -- and sooner rather than later.

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