Packers sign veteran guard Laken Tomlinson from Cowboys’ practice squad

What happened

Cowboys' practice squad following three games in which the Packers' offensive line performed poorly. The report was first published by Ian Rapoport and Mike Clemens and covered by Acme Packing Company.

Tomlinson is a 2015 first-round pick (Detroit Lions) who has played 173 regular-season games with 162 starts and has seven playoff starts. He spent most of his career at left guard and was a Pro Bowler in 2021 while with the San Francisco 49ers.

Why the Packers made the move

Green Bay's offensive line has been struggling through the first three weeks of the season. Coaching and personnel options on the current roster have not stabilized the unit. Tomlinson gives the Packers an experienced body and a veteran who has logged significant snaps at left guard. With Zach Bako-Bewele expected to go to injured reserve, the Packers had a roster spot available and could commit to Tomlinson on the 53-man roster as required when signing a player off another team's practice squad.

What Tomlinson brings — and limits

Tomlinson brings long-term starting experience: 162 career starts and seven playoff starts. He stands 6-foot-3 and around 316–323 pounds, and he has spent nearly his entire career at left guard. That positional experience makes him a logical candidate to start or rotate on the left side for Green Bay.

Recent performance metrics and career trajectory temper expectations. Tomlinson's Pro Football Focus grades have not exceeded 62.5 overall in the last four seasons, and in 2025 he ranked 63rd among qualified guards. Since 2022 he has moved between teams (Jets, Seahawks, Texans, Cowboys practice squad), which the coverage describes as a journeyman phase. He had not appeared in a game in 2026 before this signing.

Roster and short-term implications

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player signed off another team's practice squad must be added to the active 53-man roster for a minimum of three weeks. The Packers created room by moving Zach Bako-Bewele to injured reserve and completed additional corresponding roster moves later in the week, including adding Mekhi Becton Sr. to the practice squad and releasing a practice-squad defensive tackle.

Given the state of Green Bay's offensive line and the lack of clear internal solutions, Tomlinson's presence provides immediate depth and the chance of at least a marginal upgrade over current options on the left side. Whether he becomes a long-term answer depends on performance over those required roster weeks and how he meshes with the Packers' blocking schemes.

What to watch next

• Where Tomlinson is listed on the depth chart and whether he starts at left guard.
• How the Packers' run and pass-blocking metrics change with Tomlinson on the field.
• The team's handling of additional roster moves after the minimum three-week roster commitment expires.

This signing is a practical attempt to stabilize a struggling unit. Tomlinson brings experience and positional fit but not recent high-performance grades, so expect evaluation to continue quickly once he takes the field.