Laken Tomlinson: “This offensive line is going to be one of the best in the league.”

[PS17]

I found this very intriguing. Was watching the post-game interviews and this question and answer from Laken Tomlinson stood out. Ethan Greenberg was asking him about Rodgers, his influence, etc. and Tomlinson was answering with mostly cliches and fluff. Final question: “what do you think of the potential of this offensive line?” Tomlinson hesitated and just stuttered with a sh*t-eating grin for about ten seconds.

And then finally he said “I’m just gonna say it. I think this is going to be one of the best offensive lines in the league. This year.” I know Tomlinson wasn’t great last year but his demeanor answering the question made me raise an eyebrow. All off-season we’ve been told the offensive line is the weakest unit on the team, and maybe it is. But if these guys play to their potential and stay healthy, maybe it’ll be a strength, or at the very least league average. I was happy to see the confidence and maybe the team and coaches feel the same way internally. 

Tomlinson interview starts at 5:28, the final question at 7:20.

 

[chirorob]

If he plays like he did 2 years ago and not last year, thats a big step in the right direction.

[Barry McCockinner]

@Beerfish rn

[JustInFudge]

The look he gives tells me this line hears the noise.  Hears the narrative that the one big question mark that could hold this team back from greatness and clearly they're motivated to prove people wrong.  If you think about it, every single guy on the line has had some type of criticism or looming question mark hanging over them.

Brown - too old, coming off injury, hasnt practiced, can he still play? 

Tomlinson - sucks, got sold a bill of goods, way overpaid 

McGovern - terrible, sucks, need to upgrade, hope Tippy plays

AVT - awesome but coming off injury, is he fully recovered? 

Becton - the is genuine hate out there for this man

 

[peebag]

2 minutes ago, JiF said:

The look he gives tells me this line hears the noise.  Hears the narrative that the one big question mark that could hold this team back from greatness and clearly they're motivated to prove people wrong.  If you think about it, every single guy on the line has had some type of criticism or looming question mark hanging over them.

Brown - too old, coming off injury, hasnt practiced, can he still play? 

Tomlinson - sucks, got sold a bill of goods, way overpaid 

McGovern - terrible, sucks, need to upgrade, hope Tippy plays

AVT - awesome but coming off injury, is he fully recovered? 

Becton - the is genuine hate out there for this man

 

These are all genuine questions

[Barton]

Turnstile Tomlinson talking? Ah hell no. His head is still spinning from last year. 

[Larz]

These guys are sick of hearing that they are the weak links. 
 

Ideally all 5 would have played last week but I think 2 weeks is enough to get Brown up to speed

cant wait to see Mt. becton go all waterboy on someone lol

 

[Jethead]

18 minutes ago, PS17 said:

I found this very intriguing. Was watching the post-game interviews and this question and answer from Laken Tomlinson stood out. Ethan Greenberg was asking him about Rodgers, his influence, etc. and Tomlinson was answering with mostly cliches and fluff. Final question: “what do you think of the potential of this offensive line?” Tomlinson hesitated and just stuttered with a sh*t-eating grin for about ten seconds.

And then finally he said “I’m just gonna say it. I think this is going to be one of the best offensive lines in the league. This year.” I know Tomlinson wasn’t great last year but his demeanor answering the question made me raise an eyebrow. All off-season we’ve been told the offensive line is the weakest unit on the team, and maybe it is. But if these guys play to their potential and stay healthy, maybe it’ll be a strength, or at the very least league average. I was happy to see the confidence and maybe the team and coaches feel the same way internally. 

Tomlinson interview starts at 5:28, the final question at 7:20.

 

That's the first time I've heard Adams interviewed. Got a glimpse of a smart young man. Our defense is going to be fun to watch!

[jetsons]

Laken Tomlinson: “This offensive line is going to be one of the best in the league.”

Not if you play like you did last year Laken.

[DoubleDown]

I don't see "best" as a possibility, but if they stay healthy, they will be an above average unit.

[ASH1962]

Look, they have not played at all together in lve game action before last night. If they stay on the field, they'll be fine. We saw last night; when AR feels heat, the ball is gone - no holding on to it for 15 seconds waiting for bad things to happen a la ZW.

[Beerfish]

36 minutes ago, Barry McCockinner said:

@Beerfish rn

Jets oline is like a house of cards in a stiff wind.  Nice and pretty looking right now but one card fall away from DOOM!

Also funny that the guy who probably played worst of all our oline last year thinks we are awesome.

Tally ho!

 

[Barry McCockinner]

2 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Jets oline is like a house of cards in a stiff wind.  Nice and pretty looking right now but one card fall away from DOOM!

Also funny that the guy who probably played worst of all our oline last year thinks we are awesome.

Tally ho!

 

They are NOT one player away from doom. I explained exactly why to you. If they lose their top 3 tackles, yes, they're doomed like every team in the league would be.

What is the ONE player that ruins the whole line?

Agree about Tomlinson though.

[Jetkwondo]

Seems like they are all biting their tongues in interviews as if they know something we don't know...

[Warfish]

Cool. Respect his optimism.

Now show us, don’t tell us. 

[Beerfish]

Just now, Barry McCockinner said:

They are NOT one player away from doom. I explained exactly why to you.

What is the ONE player that ruins the whole line?

 

Duane Brown 38 year old guy coming off an injury.

Mekhi Becton looking terrific now, his injury history makes him unreliable for a whole season.

McGovern is a solid player who is actually durable and we have depth with tippman,

AVT is great but is being prevented from being all pro great by having to move around all over the oline.

Thomlinson coming off an injury and was flat out bad last year.

Mitchell and Turner having to play and there are big problems.

As of right now, to start the year, the oline is the best it has been in quite a while.  Having it last the whole year with age and injury history?  We have to be very very lucky.

 

[Barry McCockinner]

Just now, Beerfish said:

Duane Brown 38 year old guy coming off an injury.

Mekhi Becton looking terrific now, his injury history makes him unreliable for a whole season.

McGovern is a solid player who is actually durable and we have depth with tippman,

AVT is great but is being prevented from being all pro great by having to move around all over the oline.

Thomlinson coming off an injury and was flat out bad last year.

Mitchell and Turner having to play and there are big problems.

As of right now, to start the year, the oline is the best it has been in quite a while.  Having it last the whole year with age and injury history?  We have to be very very lucky.

 

I missed the part where you answered which one player going down creates doom.

[The Crusher]

56 minutes ago, JiF said:

The look he gives tells me this line hears the noise.  Hears the narrative that the one big question mark that could hold this team back from greatness and clearly they're motivated to prove people wrong.  If you think about it, every single guy on the line has had some type of criticism or looming question mark hanging over them.

Brown - too old, coming off injury, hasnt practiced, can he still play? 

Tomlinson - sucks, got sold a bill of goods, way overpaid 

McGovern - terrible, sucks, need to upgrade, hope Tippy plays

AVT - awesome but coming off injury, is he fully recovered? 

Becton - the is genuine hate out there for this man

 

Becton is the lynchpin that will make that  unit go from good to much gooder if everyone  stays healthy! Including his big ass self!!  Him and AVT should be receiving restraining  orders and catching cases with what they are capable of doing this year. Straight up victimizing bitches!!!

[Beerfish]

12 minutes ago, Barry McCockinner said:

I missed the part where you answered which one player going down creates doom.

Brown., then the shuffling starts, does becton move to LT?  Who plays the other tackle?  Is AVT move to tackle?  Do we start turner or mitchell?  (either of those guys is doom)

We can revisit this half way though the year and see if my concerns were legit or if your assertion that we are all good is correct.

[Barry McCockinner]

2 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Brown., then the shuffling starts, does becton move to LT?  Who plays the other tackle?  Is AVT move to tackle?  Do we start turner or mitchell?  (either of those guys is doom)

We can revisit this half way though the year and see if my concerns were legit or if your assertion that we are all good is correct.

If Brown goes down Becton goes to LT and the guy who played RT for the Packers when Rodgers won his last two MVPs goes to RT.

If Becton goes down the guy who played RT for the Packers when Rodgers won his last two MVPs goes to RT.

Our backup T was starting the last time Rodgers won MVP. Not bad eh?

[Larz]

Just a reminder. Thorn publishes a newsletter of sorts called trench warfare 

All he does is study the trenches , both sides. It’s all he does. He’s up there with Duke as far as credibility.  He was giving each division a break out line projection. He had Becton at RT a month ago btw. 
 

AFC East

Jets

LT Duane Brown
LG Laken Tomlinson
C Connor McGovern/Joe Tippmann
RG Alijah Vera-Tucker
RT Mekhi Becton

The Jets offensive line is one of the most interesting collections of talent in the NFL for 2023. They are projected to be old (tied for 1st with New England in combined age with McGovern at center) with tons of experience (most combined starts in the NFL by far),

size (3rd heaviest) and athleticism (5th in total RAS)!

The obvious injury risks associated with both starters at tackle makes them such a high variance unit to project for. Duane Brown is an injury risk because he is the oldest starter in the NFL at 38, while Mekhi Becton has only made one start over the last two seasons.
But what if those two stay healthy?

This unit would have a chance to be one of the most physically imposing in the league.

 

 

 

This offense can really dominate with defense’s trying to stop the run with Rodgers making them pay 

[jetstream23]

If you told me right now that they'll all remain mostly healthy (ex. one or two guys miss 2-3 games), then I'd guess it's definitely a Top 10 or 15 unit in the league.  Out of 34 combined games, if Becton and Duane Brown play in 30+ then the Jets are absolutely fine.  Between AVT, McGovern, Tomlinson and Tippmann they will find the right mix of 3 interior guys.  It may be a different interior group ending the season than starts (hoping Tippmann earns and takes a starting spot from either McGovern or Tomlinson), but I think it's a good group.

If you tell me right now that between Turner and Mitchell they play more than 5 or 6 games then I'd have big concerns about the offense this year.

[JohnJ]

1 hour ago, Jethead said:

That's the first time I've heard Adams interviewed. Got a glimpse of a smart young man. Our defense is going to be fun to watch!

"We comin'"

First time I saw Echols, gotta like him. Laken also. Have no problem with what he said. It's about the health. That's it

Health is wealth is what it's gonna come down to, I believe with, this team

[SomebodytoAnybody47]

Jets OL: We can be the best in the league. 

Jet fans: Hold up now…

[Bobby816]

If they play the opposite of how he did last year, than he’s onto something.

[jetswinbaby!]

[The Crusher]

If this is true he likely didn’t need to put the word “ in “ there. If this line is top 10 this could be #1 offensive in the league, let only #1 line. But I do like the way this young man thinks, 

[jetsfan4life72]

He said the same exact thing last offseason on an ESPN radio interview. 

[rangerous]

1 hour ago, Beerfish said:

Duane Brown 38 year old guy coming off an injury.

Mekhi Becton looking terrific now, his injury history makes him unreliable for a whole season.

McGovern is a solid player who is actually durable and we have depth with tippman,

AVT is great but is being prevented from being all pro great by having to move around all over the oline.

Thomlinson coming off an injury and was flat out bad last year.

Mitchell and Turner having to play and there are big problems.

As of right now, to start the year, the oline is the best it has been in quite a while.  Having it last the whole year with age and injury history?  We have to be very very lucky.

 

All true. I am hoping for a Tomlinson bounce back season which will be another solid indication that milfy was a huge part of the problem.

[bonkertons]

The potential is obviously very high, not sure how anyone can say otherwise. The concerns are legitimate. Brown’s health, Becton’s health, even AVT’s health. If Tippmann takes over at C, how long it’ll take him to adjust - whether he’ll adjust at all this year. Whether Tomlinson can bounce back. 
 

All genuine questions and concerns, but if they all work out, this line WILL be great. Now if you want to talk about how likely that is, that’s another story. Still, if we’re talking purely upside, it’s big. Hell, Becton and AVT staying healthy alone should guarantee us a league average group at worst. 

[PepPep]

All offseason many Jet fans said that this o-line had the ‘potential’ to be one of the best in the league. 

-if Becton stays healthy, comes into camp in shape and steps up

-if Tomlinson plays up to his potential 

-if AVT and Brown stay healthy

-if Tippman pans out 

…so yes, this o-line COULD be one of the best in the league. But that’s a lot of IFs. 

So far, things are looking, dare I say, pretty good? But that can change awfully quick. I don’t have a ton of confidence in this unit until proven otherwise.

Am I surprised Tomlinson is showing confidence? Absolutely not. He better be or we are in big trouble. 
 

[BigRy56]

You can’t spell elite without this OL

[SomebodytoAnybody47]

2 minutes ago, BigRy56 said:

You can’t spell elite without this OL

[Rhg1084]

Put it this way - AVT and Becton have All Pro potential. Now will they ever reach that ceiling who knows? The left side of the line are a couple of solid vets with Laken and Duane… also let’s take into account Rodgers has one of the quickest releases in the game. He’s not gonna be running backwards trying to be Pat Mahomes. 
 

Also if we get decimated with injuries like we did last year our depth is not that great. You would assume AVT could be an emergency tackle if things go haywire like it did last year. 

[Bleedin Green]

Tomlinson needs to worry about himself first.  For the one guy who actually managed to stay healthy last year, he was also the worst of the bunch, regularly even getting outplayed by various backups the team had to run through.

Pretty much the only reason he isn't definitively considered the most wildly overpaid/under-performing player on the Jets is because a couple of guys named CJ who are battling him out for that honor.  Let's hope they all buck that trend, as it will definitely be needed to live up to the hype this team has generated.