OL Laken Tomlinson, signs with NYJ

Originally posted by GhostOfBaalke:
Before everyone gets their hopes up. I looked up some lions forums and their fans are happy he's no longer on the team. And they've been the ones watching him the last two years.

I'll trust ShanaLynch over people dumb enough to be Lions fans.

Originally posted by a49erfan77:

Originally posted by GhostOfBaalke:

Before everyone gets their hopes up. I looked up some lions forums and their fans are happy he's no longer on the team. And they've been the ones watching him the last two years.

I'll trust ShanaLynch over people dumb enough to be Lions fans.

This one was probably Mayhews call.

Originally posted by okdkid:

Originally posted by theninermaniac:
At worst, Laken plays a utility role, backing up both guard and tackle spots. At best, he starts at guard and provides an upgrade on the interior run blocking.

5th round pick is kinda rich, but Im ok with it. This roster is in shambles folks. Gotta start somewhere.

I think the roster is better than "shambles" but I do agree with your take on Tomlinson.

Good take on Tomlinson

Our roster was in shambles until JL/KS rode into town!

Love this move! Low risk trade for younger potential starter that we can use right now.

Originally posted by GhostOfBaalke:

Before everyone gets their hopes up. I looked up some lions forums and their fans are happy he's no longer on the team. And they've been the ones watching him the last two years.

Always smart to listen to fans from other teams...the objective ones. They are usually spot on.

One thing I'd like to know is how he fared in an offense that throws for 5,000 yards a year?

Here, we'll be getting that ball out under 3 seconds almost every time.

So then, how is his run blocking?

VERY good take on the Tomlinson trade.

And please - let's NOT call him LT.

https://www.ninersnation.com/2017/8/31/16234626/laken-tomlinson-trade-joshua-garnett-injured-reserve-49ers

Originally posted by GhostOfBaalke:

To everyone saying it's no risk, I wouldn't go that far. Look who we got in the fifth round this year. Taylor and Kittle. And people are already crowning Kittle the next Jordan Reed. Sounds like a pretty big risk to me, if you're missing out on talent like that by trading it for a first round bust guard. A fifth rounder also can be a difference maker in trading up to the second from the third.

That being said, I know Shanny and Lynch aren't just gambling and throwing picks around. They see something in him.

The flipside to that is this season we were a team littered with needs (both schematic and talent deprived) and depth problems. If you build your team right then you shouldn't be as reliant on late round draft picks for anything other than potential developmental prospects and special teams' depth as each year passes.

We added a ton of new players this season. I'd hope we're not as dependant on fifth round picks next season to fulfill starting roles as we were this season.

Originally posted by LasVegasWally:
VERY good take on the Tomlinson trade.

And please - let's NOT call him LT.

https://www.ninersnation.com/2017/8/31/16234626/laken-tomlinson-trade-joshua-garnett-injured-reserve-49ers

Great nickname idea! Thanks!

Originally posted by Ensatsu:

I'll be impressed if Tomilinson even beats out Beadles for the guard spot. Lynch's trades haven't exactly been stellar.....

Season hasn't even started yet lol stop it

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by Ensatsu:
I'll be impressed if Tomilinson even beats out Beadles for the guard spot. Lynch's trades haven't exactly been stellar.....

Season hasn't even started yet lol stop it

Haha!!!

While I was hoping for a guard acquisition, I am not so sure about this guard.


A. He has been injury prone


B. Hasn't been very good when he has played, huge disappointment for a 1st rounder.


C. Not sure about the scheme fit. He is the opposite of athletic. A plodding power blocker that would have been at home in Harbaugh's scheme.



On the positive side he is a highly intelligent player that should have no trouble picking up the scheme. Consistently executing it and staying healthy, those are a whole other story.



I hope he does well but count me as skeptical in regards to how this will work. It could be that he just needed a change of scenery but his career up to this point has been largely awful. Right now he is a bigger, slower Jordan Devey.






And as this article shows, one of his biggest issues in college which has followed him to the NFL is that he is a lunger. The result is that a pass rusher either flies by him or he has to grab on to them and hold on for dear life when he gets off balance.

https://sidelionreport.com/2016/09/20/laken-tomlinson-struggles-no-easy-fix/

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by GhostOfBaalke:
Before everyone gets their hopes up. I looked up some lions forums and their fans are happy he's no longer on the team. And they've been the ones watching him the last two years.

Always smart to listen to fans from other teams...the objective ones. They are usually spot on.

One thing I'd like to know is how he fared in an offense that throws for 5,000 yards a year?

Here, we'll be getting that ball out under 3 seconds almost every time.

So then, how is his run blocking?

Seldom is a fan base impartial when talking about a departing player though...just look around here. Everybody that leaves either sucks so bad that they were the reason the whole team lost every single game ever or They were the linchpin that held everything together and the sky is going to fall followed by it raining toads and a plague of locusts. It is a good move because it is a solid attempt at a stop gap while Garnett is out with maybe a hint of upside that he could stick beyond this year and despite the chorus of moans about a 5th round pick...its a 5th round pick 2 years from now, which is worth what a 7th rounder?

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
While I was hoping for a guard acquisition, I am not so sure about this guard.

A. He has been injury prone

B. Hasn't been very good when he has played, huge disappointment for a 1st rounder.

C. Not sure about the scheme fit. He is the opposite of athletic. A plodding power blocker that would have been at home in Harbaugh's scheme.

On the positive side he is a highly intelligent player that should have no trouble picking up the scheme. Consistently executing it and staying healthy, those are a whole other story.

I hope he does well but count me as skeptical in regards to how this will work. It could be that he just needed a change of scenery but his career up to this point has been largely awful. Right now he is a bigger, slower Jordan Devey.

And as this article shows, one of his biggest issues in college which has followed him to the NFL is that he is a lunger. The result is that a pass rusher either flies by him or he has to grab on to them and hold on for dear life when he gets off balance.

https://sidelionreport.com/2016/09/20/laken-tomlinson-struggles-no-easy-fix/

yeah..but what else are you going to get for a 5th rounder in 2 years right before the end of preseason? Put him next to Staley and let him learn on the job.

I feel the same way Phoenix does. I don't know what they like in Tomlinson. The guy plays with heavy feet.

Originally posted by jcs:

A brief search says they run a zone blocking scheme. Not much clearer than that.

Its not really a pure zone blocking scheme. Much more of a gap blocking/zone blocking hybrid than what Shanahan runs.


Under Lombardi they ran a very zone heavy scheme but thus far Cooter seems to prefer a hybrid with more emphasis on gap blocking.