The Green Bay Packers have been among the more successful teams in the NFC for the last several years due to the quality of the offensive line.
A major part of the unit for the last two seasons is versatile offensive tackle Zach Tom, who is now approaching his first major NFL payday. The Packers’ decision to release cornerback Jaire Alexander saved the team north of $17 million this year, leaving Green Bay with approximately $35.5 million in 2025 salary cap space at present.
Evan Western of SB Nation’s Acme Packing Co. suggested on Monday, June 16, that the franchise prioritize its financial flexibility to lock in place a longterm extension for Tom.
“First will be getting right tackle Zach Tom locked in to a contract extension,” he wrote. “The next great pass-blocking tackle will be the first player the team needs to extend this year before he hits free agency next offseason.”
“Tom is a top right tackle in the NFL and will likely receive an extension leading up to or during training camp. It’ll be a big contract extension too,” Damon Sewell of Packers Talk wrote Sunday. “Look for something like a four-year, $84 [million] extension. It could be even more if Tom’s camp works to get closer to [Penei] Sewell’s four-year, $112 [million] extension.”
Zach Tom Has Proven Reliable Bargain Over 3-Year Career With Packers
GettyGreen Bay Packers offensive tackle Zach Tom.
Tom ended up a steal after the Packers selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft (No. 140 overall) out of Wake Forest.
He has played multiple positions on the offensive line, including lining up at tackle on both the left and right sides of the unit. Tom appeared in nine games during his rookie campaign, starting five of those. He has started all 17 regular season contests for the Packers in each of the past two years.
Tom will play this season, which is the final on his four-year rookie contract worth a total of $4.2 million, at 26 years old.
Zach Tom Was Among NFL’s Best Offensive Tackles Against Both the Run and Pass
GettyThe Green Bay Packers offensive line sets up for a play against the Baltimore Ravens.
Green Bay locking Tom up this offseason is critical in order to stop him from hitting the free-agent market next summer, which could result in a bidding war that ends in the Packers either losing Tom to another team or paying even more than they’re going to have to pay already.
Sewell suggested that an $84 million deal is essentially the floor of what Tom will ask for and receive from Green Bay, with $112 million representing the approximate ceiling. That could ultimately prove a bargain for Tom, considering he is just now entering his professional prime and was among the best offensive tackles in football last season based on the advanced metrics from Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Tom finished the campaign with an overall player grade of 87.5, which ranked him as the fourth-best tackle on either side of the line out of 140 players who saw enough snaps in 2024 to qualify, per PFF. He proved excellent against the pass, finishing 12th in the league as a pass blocker, but was even better against the run with a 90.0 grade (third-best in the NFL).
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