The Green Bay Packers won't return to the field until they host the struggling Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6. That didn't keep fans from receiving some positive news regarding one of their most important pieces on the offensive line on Tuesday, though.
Tuesday afternoon, the Packers announced they had released OT Brant Banks after signing him off the practice squad ahead of Green Bay's Week 4 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. While the Packers may attempt to re-sign Banks to the practice squad following Tuesday's transaction, what this means for Tom and his potential availability coming out of the bye may be the bigger story.
Packers' Bye Week Cut of Brant Banks Positive Sign for Zach Tom's Status
If there were concerns over Tom's availability for the Bengals game in Week 6, the Packers likely would not have made this move today. This can mean one of two things. Either Tom is much closer to being ready to play than Matt LaFleur wanted to let on while speaking with the media on Tuesday, or reinforcements are on the way as players could be eligible to come off the IR or PUP list.
"We'll see. I don't know," LaFleur replied when asked about Tom and Aaron Banks returning after the bye, via Jason B. Hirschhorn of The Leap. "We'll get a better indication on Monday."
Tom has been dealing with an oblique injury since Green Bay's season opener. The injury issue forced him to miss Week 2 entirely, and limited him to one snap during the Packers' Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. This same injury kept him out of the lineup against the Cowboys.
As one would expect, the injury issues, coupled with his on-again, off-again availability, have led to mixed results. According to Pro Football Focus, Tom has an overall grade of 59.5 entering the Bye Week, placing him firmly in the middle of eligible offensive tackles. His pass blocking grade (61.2) and run blocking grade (56.4) haven't exactly been anything to write home about either.
Can some of these problems Tom has dealt with thus far be directly tied to the injury issues? Absolutely. How much of those struggles can be blamed on the oblique is less known at this time. The fact that it has kept him from contributing much at all since suffering the injury during Week 1 is concerning. However, the roster move made on Tuesday would suggest that the former fourth-round pick is closing in on being ready to protect Jordan Love and open up rushing lanes for Josh Jacobs.
LaFleur will certainly be asked more questions concerning the status of Tom, as well as the rest of the walking wounded on Green Bay's roster. Until the franchise makes an official announcement, one way or another, on Tom's status moving forward, fans will be forced to try to read the tea leaves.