Lions Work Out Laken Tomlinson, Will Hernandez

Tomlinson’s career-opening Lions stint ended when they dealt him to the 49ers in August 2017. The Lions settled for a 2019 fifth-rounder in exchange for Tomlinson, who lost his starting job in his second season. However, between his first year with the 49ers and 2024, Tomlinson started in all 131 appearances. He spent five of those years in San Francisco, where he earned the lone Pro Bowl nod of his career in 2021, two with the Jets and one with the Seahawks.

The durable Tomlinson put together his seventh straight full season in 2024, but the Seahawks did not retain him. The 6-foot-3, 323-pounder left in free agency to accept the Texans’ one-year, $4.25MM offer, though the team wound up waiving him in early December. Tomlinson, who started in seven of 10 games with the Texans, ended the season on Baltimore’s practice squad. The Ravens added the 34-year-old on Dec. 9, but they never elevated him for any games.

Notably, Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has plenty of familiarity with Hernandez. Petzing held the same position in Arizona from 2023-25, the last three years of Hernandez’s four-season stretch in the desert. Like Tomlinson, Hernandez has been reliable for most of his nine-year career. While dividing his first six seasons between the Giants and Cardinals, he appeared in 92 of a possible 99 regular-season games and started 86.

Hernandez was a full-time starter during his entire Cardinals tenure, but a torn ACL in October 2024 derailed his career. He played seven games that year, and with the rehab process dragging into 2025, Hernandez didn’t debut until Week 5 last season. The 30-year-old appeared in just seven games before going on IR with hip and knee injuries in late November.

Neither Tomlinson nor Hernandez drew any reported interest in free agency until they worked out for the Lions. But the team is scrambling for help up front as a result of multiple injuries.

Ben Bartch, who has been competing against Christian Mahogany for the left guard job, is in concussion protocol, Rainer Sabin of the Detroit Free Press reports. Head coach Dan Campbell made it sound as if Bartch is almost out of the running to start, saying “that window is shrinking right now.”

The Lions suffered a more significant loss up front when center Cade Mays went down with a wrist injury earlier this month. With Mays likely out until at least October, the Lions are trying to find an in-house replacement. If they choose a potential guard option to fill in for Mays, it would weaken their depth there. Starting right guard Tate Ratledge, Juice Scruggs and Seth McLaughlin have all gotten reps at center in Mays’ absence. Scruggs has emerged as the clear favorite in the derby, according to Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News.