49ers free agency: Predicting which free agents Niners re-sign

49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Left guard Laken Tomlinson

Perhaps the 49ers’ biggest free-agent re-sign priority heading into 2022, Pro Bowl left guard Laken Tomlinson has been the definition of consistency and reliability ever since being acquired via trade from the Detroit Lions early during the 2017 season.

Emphasizing the point, Tomlinson hasn’t missed a single start since.

Tomlinson certainly isn’t as flashy or as impactful as All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, and Kyle Shanahan hasn’t always put the biggest emphasis on guard play during his tenure with the Niners.

That said, Tomlinson has helped make the left side of San Francisco’s offensive line a massive strength the last few years, and he’ll enter NFL free agency as possibly one of the more sought-after interior linemen available on the market.

And that might drive Tomlinson’s asking price up a lot, potentially into the range of $12 million per year, high for interior linemen but a number he could easily command if there’s a demand.

The 49ers would likely want to offer the 30-year-old lineman a multi-year deal, potentially backloading it in 2023 and 2024 to account for what’s expected to be a sizable increase in the salary cap.

A three-year deal would be worthwhile.

Prediction: Re-signed for three years, $30 million