The Green Bay Packers have made changes in an attempt to climb to the top of the NFC North next season and one of the biggest areas is along the offensive line. The Packers signed free-agent guard Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract in March and are moving Elgton Jenkins to center to replace departed center Josh Myers.
With Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom returning for another season, it should be good news for a group that ranked sixth in Pro Football Focus’s final offensive line rankings last season. But it also avoids a potential disaster that could have come with a lineman who is set to become a free agent next year.
Zach Tom’s Presence at OTAs Saves Packers a Massive Headache
Tom, who is slated to start at right tackle for the Packers, is slated to become a free agent next offseason. The 26-year-old has been a candidate for an extension after leading all right tackles with an 87.6 overall PFF grade in 2024 but decided to show up to voluntary OTA workouts even as he pursues a new deal.
“I don’t really think it’ll do me any good to sit out,” Tom said via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “I’m trying not to worry about the contract situation. I’m just trying to do what’s best for the team. And being here with the guys, I think that’s worth a lot more…the contract situation will take care of itself. So I’m just here working and grinding with the guys. If I wasn’t here, I’d probably be somewhere just not doing anything. I want to be here, obviously.”
The approach is a refreshing one. Players around the league who are looking for a new contract often skip the voluntary OTA workouts to negate the risk of injury. Even in mandatory minicamp, players will “hold in” and not take part during on-field drills before getting their big pay day. Jenkins is one player that has not been with the team as he looks for a new contract as part of his move from guard to center and Tom’s presence hasn’t been lost on head coach Matt LaFleur.
“That tells you how much it means to him,” LaFleur said. “...That means a lot. I know for me, it means a lot to me.”
Tom was a fourth-round pick by the Packers in 2022 and has become a cornerstone of the Packers’ offensive line. While he posted a high-water mark last season, he’s been steady over his first three seasons, including allowing 77 pressures and seven sacks on 1,599 pass-blocking snaps.
While Schneidman estimates Tom could command somewhere in the “mid-to-high $20 millions annually,” he may be worth the investment even as the Packers sit $9.9 million over the salary cap for next season according to Over The Cap.
Bottom line? Tom believes that if he takes care of his business on the field, the Packers will take care of business off of it.