Laken

Tomlinson

The Jets made Tomlinson a cap casualty earlier this offseason after he started all 17 games for them in 2023. Tomlinson earned a PFF blocking grade of 55.0 in those games, allowing seven sacks on 51 pressures — a noticeable decline from his previous two seasons. The 2021 Pro Bowler has started 138 games in his career should have a chance to start along Seattle’s interior.

The Jets released Tomlinson before the start of free agency, saving them $8.1 million in 2024 cap space. The nine-year vet started all 17 games he appeared in for the Jets last season, earning a PFF blocking grade of 55.0. Tomlinson allowed seven sacks on 51 pressures last season, compared to only three sacks on 56 pressures in his previous two seasons combined. Tomlinson will be 32 at the start of next season and should find a new home for 2024 in a market that’s been ripe for guards thus far.

They also restructured CB DJ Reed and TE Tyler Conklin. The moves create $15.2M in cap space for the Jets as they look to trade for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers ahead of free agency.

Tomlinson gets $27 million guaranteed. A once-failed first-rounder of the Lions at No. 28 overall in 2015, Tomlinson got a fresh start in San Francisco back in 2017 and ran with it to become a fixture on coach Kyle Shanahan’s offensive line. In New York, Tomlinson goes somewhere he already knows the offense under former 49ers assistants Robert Saleh and OC Mike LaFleur. It should be a seamless transition and fills a massive need for the Jets.

The 49ers added voidable years to the end of Tomlinson’s deal. Tomlinson’s restructure creates $1.34 million in cap savings.

Tomlinson’s ACL is intact, so that’s the good news. The former Lions first-rounder should be good by the time OTAs and minicamp roll around and 100% well in advance of training camp. Tomlinson took over the starting job in Week 2 and signed a three-year extension through 2021 back in June.

Tomlinson was the 28th pick in last year’s draft, but he struggled mightily as a rookie, grading out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 56 guard out of 82 qualifiers. He was 75th in run blocking. The Lions are counting on both Tomlinson and RG Larry Warford to be much better in 2016. It hasn’t been a good start.

Struggling as much as any guard in the league, Tomlinson lost nearly half the snaps in Sunday’s win over the Eagles to third-round rookie Graham Glasgow. Returning from a leg injury, Glasgow could officially seize starting status once his conditioning is up to snuff.

Glasgow took over for 2015 first-rounder Laken Tomlinson, who was terrible as a rookie and has not been much better this season. Glasgow played well in the start, and he should keep the job for the foreseeable future. Tomlinson will need an injury to get off the bench.

The Lions haven’t ruled out re-signing Larry Warford, but are expected to let him test the market. With Graham Glasgow also coming off a promising rookie campaign, the Lions’ depth on the interior makes them more likely to try to keep free agent RT Riley Reiff. Tomlinson took a step back in 10 starts last year but is the heavy favorite to replace Warford.