GREEN BAY – The Packers are adding reinforcements on the offensive line, and they are also determined to make their linemen play better.
On Monday, Green Bay signed veteran guard Laken Tomlinson to the 53-man roster and added another veteran, Mekhi Becton Sr., to the practice squad. Both are former first-round picks who have played on different teams in recent years.
Head coach Matt LaFleur didn’t say the two would step in immediately — Becton would have to be elevated from the practice squad to do so — but he didn’t rule out that possibility either.
“Potentially,” LaFleur responded when asked if they could help immediately. “I mean, we haven’t been on the field with them yet, so it’s hard to say. But I think as we go through the week, we’ll have a better indication of that.”
Tomlinson played most of his career at left guard while Becton played at right guard the last two seasons after moving from tackle earlier in his career.
The Packers have dealt with health issues, a roster shuffle and poor performance out of the gate through the first three games, and nothing is certain as to when starting left guard Aaron Banks will be able to return from his knee and toe injuries.
Tomlinson, a 12th-year veteran, arrives from the Cowboys’ practice squad with 169 career starts, including the playoffs, under his belt. His five seasons in San Francisco (2017-21) under coach Kyle Shanahan give him great familiarity with LaFleur’s offensive style and the Packers’ run. Part of his time with the 49ers was spent with Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich as an assistant offensive line coach.
So he’s not only excited about the opportunity in front of him, but he says he’ll be ready to go whenever the need arises.
“I feel like I can come in and bring some stability, some toughness, some leadership as well,” Tomlinson said when speaking to the media on Monday. “Obviously, going into 12th grade, I’ve played a lot of ball. I feel like I still have a lot left in the tank. I feel like I can bring a lot to the team.”
Tomlinson has been incredibly durable throughout his career, and he feels good about the work he’s done this offseason following his release from the Texans last December. He is determined to continue his long career, which included a Pro Bowl selection (2021).
He also knows Becton, having been his teammate with the Jets for two seasons (2022-23).
“Mekhi is a big guy, a big physical guy,” he said. “I’m sure his style of play – he makes people move. He’s a physical monster. He’s really excited to have him on the team.”
LaFleur emphasized that it will take numerous meetings with coaches to get the new additions up to speed.
In the meantime, the team’s current linemen will learn all the basics of run blocking and pass protection, as progress is needed “across the board.” Through three games, the Packers’ running game without running back Josh Jacobs has been unproductive and QB Jordan Love has taken far too many hits from passers.
“Basically we have to get better,” LaFleur said. “I think that’s where the majority of our focus is going to be in terms of our passing sets and how we pass the twists, the way we hit, all that stuff. That’s got to improve quickly.”
He also stressed that it will take a greater commitment to the running game as a playmaker to bring some semblance of balance to the offense. Last Thursday against Atlanta, Love finished with 53 pass attempts as the offense had just nine carries for 17 yards despite trailing by 10 points or less until late in the third quarter.
The ground game can also help in Love’s pass protection, even if it doesn’t produce big chunks of yards.
“Sometimes you have to stick with it, and sometimes early in games it might not work at the level you would like in terms of running efficiency, but I think it’s like body shots in a boxing match,” LaFleur said. “You just have to keep throwing them, and there’s a lot of things that come down to it outside of the running game. So we’ve got to do a better job. I’ve got to do a better job with that.
“Every run doesn’t have to be an explosive gain. Sometimes you just need to hit and gain three yards, and it’s three yards and a cloud of dust just to stay on schedule and prepare for more manageable third downs.”
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