With the Detroit Lions coming down the stretch, their offensive line has reached a stage of crisis. Injuries to Graham Glasgow and Christian Mahogany have left the Lions short-handed in the trenches, and the failed comeback of Frank Ragnow has forced the Lions to lean on Kayode Awosika at left guard.
While Awosika has been serviceable in the running game, he’s been a disaster in pass protection with 10 pressures and three sacks on 149 pass-blocking snaps since entering the starting lineup in Week 10, according to Pro Football Focus.
With Mahogany not expected to return until December, the development is not good for a team that is fighting for its playoff lives with a 7-5 record. But the Lions may have been given a reprieve in the form of a former first-round pick.
The Houston Texans announced on Tuesday that they are waiving guard Laken Tomlinson despite starting seven games for the team this season. While he’ll be subject to the NFL’s waiver process since his release came after the trade deadline, he could be the answer to the Lions’ offensive line problem if only for a couple of weeks.
Laken Tomlinson Could Be Perfect Stop Gap for Christian Mahogany’s Return
The Lions’ first-round pick in the 2015 draft, Tomlinson has earned journeyman status since being traded to San Francisco after the 2016 season, before also spending time with the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and Texans. The stop in Houston got off to a solid start as Tomlinson served as a starter to begin the year. But his release came after he posted a 56.1 overall grade on 284 snaps and a 55.4 pass blocking grade on 186 snaps per PFF.
Those numbers won’t be enough to fix the Lions’ offensive line, but they would still be an upgrade over Awosika. While the veteran has struggled in general since becoming a starter, Awosika’s issues have been at their worst against two of the NFC’s best teams, allowing three pressures on 39 pass-blocking snaps in a Week 11 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and two pressures and a sack on 32 snaps in a Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers.
It’s also notable considering the Lions may only need Tomlinson for a few weeks. Mahogany hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been a contributor in the running game with a 73.4 grade and has 17 pressures and two sacks on 259 pass-blocking snaps, which is slightly better than Awosika and Tomlinson.
The Lions may not have a choice in this matter if a team with a worse record jumps them in the waiver wire order. But for a team that’s entering desperation mode, putting a claim on Tomlinson would be a fair stopgap until Mahogany is ready to return.
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