The Green Bay Packers are shorthanded heading into their biggest game of the year on Saturday. Injuries to Micah Parsons and Christian Watson have dulled the enthusiasm of the fan base as the Packers travel to face the Chicago Bears in a crucial divisional matchup. If there’s one injury that has flown under the radar, though, it’s the status of offensive tackle Zach Tom.
Tom suffered a knee injury during Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos and did not return to the game, but told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein that he believed there was nothing structurally wrong with his knee. While that could be considered good news, Matt LaFleur shed some doubt on Monday, saying they avoided a long-term injury but “whether that’s a week or two or three, I couldn’t tell you,” per 247Sports’ Zach Jacobson.
While there are bigger issues with the Packers, Tom’s status is important and could play a role in the team’s playoff push over the final three games.
Zach Tom’s Injury Demands More Attention Amid Packers’ Playoff Push
Tom’s season has been up and down, and a big part of it has been due to injuries. He suffered an oblique injury while trying to avoid a collision with Jordan Love in the Packers’ season-opening win over the Detroit Lions and attempted to come back too quickly, exiting a Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns after one snap. While he hasn’t allowed a sack on the season and allowed 16 pressures on 334 pass-rushing snaps per Pro Football Focus, having an injury isn’t ideal, especially with what the Packers have behind him.
Anthony Belton filled in as part of a rotation earlier in the year, but he seems to have found a niche as the starter at right guard. Jordan Morgan is a former first-round pick who lost his job in the aftermath of Belton’s breakout. While tackle is his natural position, he hasn’t performed well this season, posting an overall PFF grade of 54.3 and allowing 20 pressures and two sacks on 315 pass-blocking snaps.
The final option is Darian Kinnard, who relieved Tom after he exited the game on Sunday, but allowed two pressures, including a sack on 30 pass-blocking snaps. It was also the most extensive action Kinnard has seen since a Week 4 start against the Dallas Cowboys, where he allowed five pressures on 47 pass-blocking snaps.
The optimistic take here is that LaFleur didn’t expect Tom to be out long-term, which means Green Bay should get back at some point in the next three games. However, he also didn’t rule out that the injury could be a sprain, and in the current playoff situation, a two or three-game absence could have a major impact down the final stretch.
It’s bad news for the Packers, even if they consider Tom to be the least serious out of the group of injuries. One of the best right tackles in the NFL, the Packers need Tom back as soon as possible; otherwise, the Packers' once-promising season could blow up in front of them over the final three weeks.