The Green Bay Packers are turning to a former Seattle Seahawks starter as they try to stabilize an offensive line already dealing with significant injury problems.
Green Bay officially signed veteran guard Laken Tomlinson to its active roster from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, according to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. The Packers also signed veteran offensive lineman Mekhi Becton to the practice squad while placing tackle Zach Bako-Bewele on injured reserve.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo initially reported on September 26 that Green Bay planned to sign Tomlinson away from Dallas to their practice squad. Today’s move takes him from the practice squad to the active 53-man roster.
“At age 34, with 162 starts under his belt, Tomlinson will help an O-line that needs it,” Rapoport reported.
Tomlinson brings a considerable amount of starting experience to a Packers unit suddenly searching for answers up front.
Packers Turn to Laken Tomlinson Amid Offensive Line Injuries
Green Bay’s need for reinforcements became particularly pressing after losing Bako-Bewele, who suffered a torn patellar tendon against the New York Jets.
Bako-Bewele started each of Green Bay’s first two games at right tackle before suffering the injury. He is facing a lengthy recovery after undergoing surgery, effectively creating a major hole in the Packers’ offensive line.
Starting guard Aaron Banks has also been battling knee and toe injuries. The Packers ruled Banks out of their Week 3 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons after he was unable to practice during the short week. Packers
Those issues have forced Green Bay to quickly stockpile veteran options. In addition to putting Tomlinson on the 53-man roster, the Packers added Becton to the practice squad as another experienced offensive lineman.
Tomlinson may be the more immediately usable option.
The former first-round pick has accumulated 162 NFL starts and earned Pro Bowl honors with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. He spent the 2025 season with the Houston Texans after previously playing for the Detroit Lions, 49ers, New York Jets and Seahawks.
Laken Tomlinson Started Every Game for Seahawks
Tomlinson’s stop in Seattle lasted only one season, but he was a fixture on the Seahawks’ offensive line.
Seattle signed Tomlinson before the 2024 season, and he proceeded to start all 17 games at left guard.
The Seahawks eventually decided to move in another direction, allowing Tomlinson to leave in free agency before using the No. 18 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft on North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel.
Seattle specifically listed Tomlinson as one of its key offensive line departures entering the 2025 season, with Zabel taking over his former position at left guard.
The change worked out particularly well for the Seahawks.
Zabel emerged as one of the NFL’s top young guards and earned PFWA All-Rookie honors during Seattle’s Super Bowl-winning 2025 season. The Seahawks returned all five offensive line starters for 2026 after allowing just 27 sacks the previous year, tied for the fifth-fewest in the NFL.
Tomlinson, meanwhile, now gets another chance to step into a potentially important role for a Packers team that suddenly needs all the offensive line depth it can find.
Former Seahawks Starter Signs With Green Bay Packers to Fix Key Need