APRIL 18: While Tomlinson’s deal maxes out at $4MM, ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson notes the base value checks in at $1.21MM. Incentives cover the rest; $500K of Tomlinson’s Seahawks pact is guaranteed, providing a tremendous step back from the veteran guard’s 2022 Jets deal (three years, $40MM). For a 10th-year player, $1.21MM is the veteran minimum.
Tomlinson’s durability would make part of the incentive package attainable, though he will need to win a starting job. He would collect $1.29MM with a 90% snap rate; the former Lions, 49ers and Jets blocker has hit that in each of the past six seasons.
APRIL 12: Known to be in the market for guard additions, the Seahawks recently showed interest in Laken Tomlinson. That has now resulted in a deal; the veteran is signing with Seattle on a one-year contract, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the pact has a maximum value of $4MM.
The Seahawks have been connected to Tomlinson for some time now, and the team has shown interest in a number of options capable of starting along the interior. The 32-year-old offers plenty of first-team experience (138 starts), having missed only one contest across his nine-year career. He will aim to rebound from his time with the Jets upon returning to the NFC West.
Tomlinson spent the past two years in New York, manning the left guard spot during that time. He was released this offseason despite one year remaining on his contract, however. That move saved the Jets cap space and paved the way for additions to be brought in via free agency. Tomlinson has not drawn rave PFF reviews in recent years, with deficiencies in run blocking in particular being a factor working against him.
Prior to his time in New York, though, the former first-rounder was a consistent contributor along the interior. Tomlinson began his career with the Lions, but his best performances game during his five-year run with the 49ers. His lone Pro Bowl nod came in 2021, his final campaign in San Francisco. Adding another to his resume will likely not be in the Seahawks’ plans for 2024, but starting-level play at any position is welcomed this late in free agency.
Seattle lost Damien Lewis in free agency and Phil Haynes remains unsigned. The Seahawks were active on the veteran market in terms of interior O-line options, showing interest in Cody Whitehair and bringing in Greg Van Roten as well as Lucas Patrick and Ike Boettger for visits. It will be interesting to see if Tomlinson is joined by any of those blockers in Seattle before or after the upcoming draft.
The Seahawks entered Friday with just $1.8MM in cap space, the third-lowest figure in the NFL. While this Tomlinson addition has not come at a particularly prohibitive cost, the team will need to free up funds to afford its draft class. In any case, Seattle’s draft efforts will now take place with a veteran presence in place as a starting option ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Can you imagine… mediocrity, in a profession for entertainment, earns you $4 million. Real professionals that contribute to society don’t earn anywhere near this amount of money.
It either goes to the billionaire owners or the players. Those real professionals aren’t lucky enough to be mutant athletes.
Jeff Bezos makes $7.9 million per hour, 24 hours a day. That is what the average person earns in a lifetime every thirteen minutes. The world is a crazy place, my friend. $4 million is the going rate for a veteran guard with 138 starts to his credit.
Sad but True