Green Bay Packers Free Agent Target: IDL Dalvin Tomlinson
By Paul Bretl
The NFL free agency period opens next Wednesday, but before the Green Bay Packers can even think about making an addition, they have to get themselves under the salary cap first. However, just because there is work to be done doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to participate.
In fact, just last week, GM Brian Gutekunst said that for the “right player,” they could make something work.
Now, who exactly is the right player? Position-wise, it would be in Green Bay’s best interest to address either cornerback or the interior defensive line in free agency. Adding a veteran who can provide some stability in 2021 at either of those positions will take some of the pressure off of the draft and free them up a bit, so they don’t feel that they have to take someone early on.
Admittedly, this name may end up being out of the Green Bay Packers’ price range — we still don’t know exactly what the market is going to look like this year — but if folks are willing to consider Will Fuller, then for less money Dalvin Tomlinson should absolutely be on their radar as well.
After not addressing the interior defensive line last offseason, it is once again a huge need. For starters, Kenny Clark still needs help inside–we still need to see what Kinglsey Keke can do in a larger sample size and Dean Lowry is someone who may perform better in a reduced role. On top of that, there isn’t much depth at the moment. In addition to the three names mentioned, the only other players on the roster are Anthony Rush and Willington Previlon.
Tomlinson was a second-round pick by the New York Giants in 2017 out of Alabama and has been the model of consistency in terms of durability. He has started all 64 games during that span and has been on the field for at least 53 percent of the Giants’ total defensive snaps each season.
As a pass-rusher, Tomlinson is likely never going to put up any eye-popping numbers. The 28 pressures he totaled in 2020 were a career-high, and the four sacks he posted tied a career-high. He wins those pass-rush reps off of his strength and collapsing the pocket. But where he is at his best is as a run-stuffer and eating up space in the middle.
New York typically lined up Tomlinson as the nose-tackle or in two-tech, becoming a nearly immovable force in the middle at 6’3″ – 317 pounds. Since entering the NFL, Tomlinson has finsihed in the top-19 among all interior defensive linemen each season in run-stops, according to Pro Football Focus ($) — which are plays that result in a “loss” for the offense (i.e., gaining two yards on third and three) — including the eighth-most in 2018.
Adding a presence like Tomlinson’s to the defensive front would not only help the run game and free up Kenny Clark more, but with his ability to occupy space and control gaps, he will free up the Green Bay Packers’ edge rushers and linebackers to make more plays as well. This is a signing that would bring another difference-maker to this defense.
As far as what it might cost to acquire Tomlinson, well, that is the big question in all of this. From a football standpoint, I imagine that the Green Bay Packers would love to add him, but is it feasible? According to Spotrac, they are projecting that the 27-year-old Tomlinson lands a four-year deal with an average annual value of $11.4 million–although the cap hit in 2021 would be much lower.
It’s also worth noting that while the Green Bay Packers’ pursuit of Will Fuller at the trade deadline grabbed the headlines, it was also reported by Ian Rapoport that they “made a run” at Tomlinson as well.
Ultimately if the Green Bay Packers want Tomlinson, they can get him. There are moves that can be made financially to free up the required cap space. However, are they willing to do so? Any sort of restructures or extensions that they might complete frees them up a bit in 2021, but they lose flexibility in future years.
Although I wouldn’t say that I expect Green Bay to land Tomlinson, given his skill-set, the need that the Packers have at the position, as well as the fact that they tried to trade for him back in November, he’s a name I’d certainly keep my eyes on.