With the schemes new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz figures to create with the defense, Tomlinson will also have plenty of chances to get after the quarterback. He notched 13 sacks in his career but has never had more than 3.5 in one season.
That could change in a Schwartz-built system.
Schwartz’s defenses across his three-decade coaching career have featured productive defensive lines who have feasted on QBs and are consistent at stopping running backs. He’s based his schemes around spreading the linemen out a bit more over the line of scrimmage — the basis of the “Wide-9” technique — and giving them more space to use more pass rush moves.
Defensive tackles who played some of the best football of their careers under Schwartz include Pro Bowlers Albert Haynesworth, Marcell Dareus, Fletcher Cox and Ndamukong Suh.
So it’s easy to see why Tomlinson is eager to see how he performs under similar D-Line designs.
“It’s super exciting,” he said. “Space on the inside is hard to come by these days, so the more space you can have is also amazing. It just gives you that much more room to attack the offensive line.”
He’ll be doing that with a player who shares a similar plethora of off-field interests as him: Myles Garrett.
A lover of paleontology and several forms of art, such as poetry, Garrett is a player who could benefit from having someone like Tomlinson draw attention in the interior, and Tomlinson believes he’ll form a quick bond with the four-time Pro Bowler.
One of Garrett’s previous sack celebrations gives Tomlinson — a huge fan of Thanos, the villain from “Avengers” series — even more confidence they’ll grow chemistry quickly.
“Most definitely, especially when I saw him do the Thanos Infinity snap, like my sack celebration,” he said. “I do it all of the time. It’s definitely going to be a great friendship blossoming right there.
Tomlinson has new teammates, a new defensive scheme and a new home to get used to, but he’s never been one to shy from trying…
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