NY Jets' OG Laken Tomlinson considered a top-10 guard in the NFL

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Laken Tomlinson / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets signed a Pro Bowl guard this offseason, yet somehow the addition of Laken Tomlinson has managed to fly a bit under the radar.

Perhaps that's due in part to a number of other notable additions the Jets made this offseason, both in free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft. But make no mistake about it, Tomlinson has a chance to be a real difference-maker for the team.

There's a reason the Jets signed the 30-year-old Tomlinson to a hefty three-year, $40 million contract that will pay him $13.33 million a year. They legitimately believe he's one of the best offensive guards in the NFL.

The Jets aren't alone in that belief either.

Doug Farrar of USA Today recently ranked the top-11 offensive guards in football, and Tomlinson earned a top-10 ranking, slotting in at No. 9 overall.

"The Jets signed Tomlinson to a three-year, $40 million contract this offseason to bolster their offensive line, and that should work out well. Last season for the 49ers, he gave up three sacks, nine quarterback hits, and 21 quarterback hurries on 681 pass-blocking snaps."
Doug Farrar

Laken Tomlinson should provide a huge boost to the NY Jets offensive line

Tomlinson is coming off a season in which he finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 73.6 that ranked 13th among all guards in the NFL. That comes one year after his 78.8 grade ranked eighth at his position.

The former first-round pick has proven his worth over the course of seven years in the NFL, and he finally received recognition for his years of excellent play with a trip to the Pro Bowl this past season.

Tomlinson comes from a nearly identical offensive system in San Francisco and should be tailor-made for the Jets' offense under former 49ers assistant Mike LaFleur.

His experience in the system combined with his recent performances suggest that he could be primed for another stellar year in 2022. That's exactly what the Jets are hoping for.

The Jets realistically had one hole on their offensive line last season, that being at right guard. The addition of Tomlinson, who will play left guard while Alijah Vera-Tucker will switch sides, is the final piece of the offensive line puzzle.

The Jets' offensive line has a chance to be a top-10 unit in 2022. If they are, expect Laken Tomlinson to be a big part of it.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.