Tag: Laken Tomlinson

Jets to sign OG Laken Tomlinson to 3-year, $40 million deal

The Jets are adding former 49ers OG Laken Tomlinson on 3-year, $40 million deal to shore up the offensive line.

Joe Douglas and the Jets have made their first free agency splash of the offseason.

New York is signing 49ers guard Laken Tomlinson to a three-year, $40 million deal, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The deal could be worth up to $41.2 million and includes $27 million guaranteed.

Tomlinson, 30, started the past 65 games for the 49ers and became one of the best zone-blocking guards in the NFL over the past few years in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He finished with at least a 75.0 overall Pro Football Focus grade over the last two seasons and posted a career-high 75.2 pass-blocking grade in 2021.

The move makes sense considering how close Mike LaFleur’s offense is to the one Tomlinson played in with the 49ers. Although Tomlinson mostly played left guard in San Francisco, the Jets plan to move him to right guard, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. This likely closes the door on a potential return for Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff and could signal the release of Greg Van Roten.

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49ers LG Laken Tomlinson to sign with Jets

#49ers LG Laken Tomlinson to join New York Jets.

The 49ers will be in the market for a left guard in free agency. Laken Tomlinson is set to join the New York Jets per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported the contract is a three-year deal worth up to $41.2 million with $27 million guaranteed.

Tomlinson has been the 49ers’ start LG since they acquired him in a trade before the 2017 season. He missed just one start in five seasons, and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after putting together his best season as a pro.

San Francisco now has two holes to fill on their offensive line after struggling to find consistency at right guard a season ago. In-house options include 2021 second-round pick Aaron Banks and 2021 fifth-round pick Jaylon Moore.

Vikings 2022 offseason preview: Where does Minnesota stand at OL?

Offensive line is a clear trouble spot that needs addressing

One of the biggest problem spots for the Minnesota Vikings last season was along the offensive front. Yes, I know blaming Kirk Cousins for everything is becoming football’s greatest pastime, but the Vikings quarterback didn’t have the luxury of a great offensive line to help him out.

Of course, bringing in true difference-makers is tough to do when the quarterback’s cap hit ($45 million) accounts for around 21.2 percent of the team’s entire salary cap, too—but I digress.

The Vikings need some of their players, particularly on the interior portion of the line, to start living up to their draft stock. It doesn’t matter how many explosive weapons the team has offensively if they can’t consistently win in the trenches.

So the offensive line will be a top priority for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell in their first season together.

Here’s where things stand right now:

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Bengals might prefer a Laken Tomlinson over a Terron Armstead, Brandon Scherff

Some points to keep in mind about the Bengals’ approach to free agency.

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It’s understandable Cincinnati Bengals fans might want the team to be in on free agency’s biggest offensive linemen names in order to fix Joe Burrow’s line.

On paper, that would mean gunning after an offensive tackle like Terron Armstead of the Saints or a big-time guard like Brandon Scherff of the Commanders.

But the reality is the team is probably thinking something more along the lines of 49ers guard Laken Tomlinson.

We can drum up this line of thinking based on the long-running behavior of the franchise, not to mention recent quotes from names like director of player personnel Duke Tobin.

At the combine, Tobin dropped a telling note about what they look for when they spend big cash: “Trey Hendrickson. If you are going to pay him that much, make sure he is worth it or at least he has the ability to be worth it. He was.”

Two factors there — age and availability. When the team signed Hendrickson, he was just 26, had a good recent attendance/health track record and the upside to perform even better after signing, which he did.

Now look at the two of the market’s biggest names:

  • Terron Armstead: Will be 31 in July, played in just eight games last year, has never played a full season since 2013 and will command top tackle money.
  • Brandon Scherff: Going into his age-31 season, hasn’t appeared in more than 13 games in a season since 2016 and will look for top guard money.

Now look at somebody who fits more in line with Cincinnati’s usual line of thinking:

  • Laken Tomlinson: Just turned 30, has missed just one game since entering the league in 2015 and won’t get a market-resetting deal.

With Tomlinson, they’re looking at someone who has projectable upside for at least a few more years (just two sacks allowed last year over 1,094 snaps), a proven ability to stay on the field and a cost that could enable them to use more money to improve another position with an additional signing.

Keep in mind the Bengals got proof of concept last year with how well the Hendrickson signing worked out. Ditto for spending big on D.J. Reader. Trae Waynes was the big exception, but more often than not, this approach has worked out well when they’ve decided to spend big.

So going into free agency, keep in mind the philosophy and recall that the bigger name isn’t always better, nor a sign of the team’s effort to improve.

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Ranking 7 free agents from the NFC West that should interest the Seahawks

If they can weaken their division rivals at the same time, all the better.

The Seahawks have money to spend this year in a turn from business as usual. While this 2022 free agent class is thin overall, it is deep where they need the most help, so Seattle should be able to sign a few difference-makers at positions of need. If they can weaken their division rivals at the same time, all the better.

Here are the seven best from the NFC West that are becoming free agents soon.

4 interior linemen the Panthers should target in free agency

The Panthers may need to revamp the entirety of their interior offensive line this spring. Here’s where they can start.

If it weren’t for right tackle Taylor Moton, the Carolina Panthers would have exactly zero assurances on their offensive line heading into 2022. So, obviously, there’s plenty of work to be done.

Much of that work has to come from the interior—where the team could lose their starting center and currently have two sets of turnstiles at guard. So, here are four options the Panthers should key in on for that area during free agency.

ESPN lists the Dolphins as a fit for this free agent offensive lineman

There could be players following Mike McDaniel as well.

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With the start of the 2022 league year about a month away, NFL teams are preparing for free agency and that includes the Miami Dolphins.

Mike McDaniel’s team has many needs that should be addressed this offseason, and one of the most prevalent is the offensive line that allowed a league-leading 235 pressures this season.

The free agent market has quite a few options that the Dolphins should take a look at, but ESPN believes Miami is the perfect fit for one – San Francisco 49ers guard Lake Tomlinson.

Tomlinson was originally selected in the first round of the 2015 draft by the Detroit Lions, but after two lackluster seasons, he was traded to the 49ers. In Kyle Shanahan’s system, he became a serviceable guard and signed a three-year extension with the team when his rookie deal expired.

With McDaniel bringing over his Shanahan’s system from San Francisco, it would make sense that the Dolphins bring in a guy who’s familiar with it and improve a group that was a disaster in 2021.

Here’s what ESPN’s Matt Bowen said about Tomlinson’s fit in Miami:

“With McDaniel now in Miami, the Dolphins must address the offensive line to fit his run scheme. Tomlinson is the logical choice here, to combo and chip on zone schemes with blocking angles created by the pre- and post-snap movement in McDaniel’s system.”

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How did 49ers fare at 2022 Pro Bowl?

How’d the #49ers representatives do at the Pro Bowl? A recap from a wild one in Las Vegas:

The 49ers were well-represented on the NFC roster in the 2022 Pro Bowl. In what amounted to something like a walk-through NFL practice, the AFC managed to sneak by the NFC in a 41-35 thriller that featured seven total touchdown passes, seven interceptions, 20 fourth-down conversion attempts and 53 total rushing yards including just 1 by the losing side.

San Francisco’s players included offensive linemen Laken Tomlinson and Alex Mack, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

Samuel, Kittle and Tomlinson all started for the NFC.

Kittle caught four of his six targets for 43 yards, and Samuel hauled in three balls for 26 yards on four targets.

Juszczyk was the only 49ers player to get in the end zone. His 14-yard touchdown catch from Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins tied the game at 7-7 early in the first quarter.

San Francisco didn’t have any representatives on the defensive side since defensive end Nick Bosa didn’t play in the game. Left tackle Trent Williams was also voted in but sat out because of an ankle injury.

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One free agent each NFL team should want to sign in 2022

Every team gets better or worse in the offseason. If each team were to sign this one free agent, they’d definitely improve.

There are only four teams left fighting for Super Bowl LVI, which means 28 teams are deeply engrossed in the Business Season of the NFL. The first major tentpole event of that season is free agency, which begins at 4 p.m. ET March 16. Teams are aware of the salary cap for the 2022 season, and are planning to build out their rosters accordingly.

We’ve decided to give them some help. Cap and negotiations aside, we’ve determined one pending free agent (as of the time of publication) that isn’t currently on each team for each team.

Based on our results, expect hot markets for CB J.C. Jackson, WR Mike Williams and DT Akiem Hicks — none of which should be considered a surprise for anyone. There are interesting names that might not be the first considered in such an exercise, but compelling arguments are made.

Who’s left: Tracking former Lions still playing in the postseason

Who’s left: Tracking former Detroit Lions still playing in the AFC and NFC championship round

The NFL is down to its final four. After an incredible divisional round, the championship games for the AFC and NFC will have a hard time matching the action. But several former Detroit Lions will try and help their new teams advance to the Super Bowl.

There are several former Lions still alive in the postseason. One is far more prominent than all the others combined, of course, but each team has at least a little Detroit flavor on the roster.