Laken Tomlinson is one of the more under-the-radar options on the 2022 free agency market. However, his play has drawn plenty of plaudits and earned him the 27th spot on PFN’s 2022 free agent rankings. Let’s make some predictions for where Tomlinson could be playing in the 2022 season and beyond.
Update 03/14/22: Laken Tomlinson agreed to a three-year, $40 million deal ($27 million guaranteed) with the Jets. If you want to know what this means for the team, make sure to check out Tomlinson’s fit with the Jets.
Top predictions for free agent Laken Tomlinson
As it stands, Tomlinson sits as the second-best available guard according to PFN’s rankings. It will be intriguing to see how the market on the interior plays out this offseason. Brandon Scherff is expected to lead the market at the guard position, but if his asking price proves too demanding for some teams, then Tomlinson is a more-than-valuable second option.
What will be interesting to see is if Tomlinson wants to let Scherff set the market. If Scherff commands a big price, then Tomlinson has the chance to follow that and push to be paid among the highest-paid guards. Some teams may even view Tomlinson as the preferable option, given he’s missed just one game in seven years.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills are in a beautiful position of not having that many major needs this offseason. If there is one part of the team that does need to be addressed with a level of urgency, it is the offensive line.
Therefore, despite the Bills being relatively short on salary cap space, they can afford to look at paying for a major upgrade at guard. Tomlinson would provide an instant upgrade and help a Bills run game that has been somewhat stagnated at times.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have a lot of questions to answer this offseason, mostly in their secondary. However, the success of their offensive line has come under scrutiny, and it is an area they need to address. The Panthers have been heavily linked with a trade for Deshaun Watson, so putting a solid line in front of him will be important.
Regardless of whether Watson is in Carolina, the Panthers need to address the position. As they look to progress under Matt Rhule’s leadership, the QB position is going to be crucial, and having a solid group for him to work behind is vital.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers’ recent trade for Khalil Mack has meant they are not quite as flush with cap space as they once were. Nevertheless, they still have room for a couple of upgrades.
The secondary should still be the priority, but with Oday Aboushi hitting the free agent market, the guard position is also an area that needs attention. They have the cap space, so perhaps they look toward the top of the market with a player like Tomlinson or Scherff as they make a Super Bowl push in Justin Herbert’s third season.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins’ offensive line has to be one of the top priorities for Mike McDaniel this offseason. The best way to address that could easily be with a player he knows well, such as Tomlinson.
Some teams may view guard as a luxury position, but the Dolphins have the cap space to pay for luxury. It would be a major surprise if we do not see a couple of offensive linemen heading to Miami this offseason.
New York Giants
Any predictions for the potential destination of an interior offensive lineman like Tomlinson will likely include one or both of the New York franchises. For the Giants, they have Will Hernandez, Matt Skura, and center Billy Price hitting free agency. Meanwhile, Ben Bredeson missed five games last year. The Giants could easily upgrade four offensive line spots this offseason, and Tomlinson would be a good start.
The key for the Giants is being able to use 2022 to assess the QB position properly. The only way to do that is to put Daniel Jones — or whoever else is there — in the best possible position to succeed. They have weapons, but now they need stability in front of them.
New York Jets
The story is similar for the Jets. They have a young QB in Zach Wilson who needs to have confidence in the line in front of him to progress. Alijah Vera-Tucker had a wonderful first season, but at the right guard position, the jury is still out on Greg Van Roten. Therefore, Tomlinson could give the Jets one of the best guard duos in the league. He also has familiarity with the coaching staff, who came from San Francisco last offseason.