The Green Bay Packers have three offensive linemen who will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2025 season. That includes both starting tackles, Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker. Starting right guard Sean Rhyan is also in the final year of his entry-level contract. The Packers can now sign any of these players to an extension if they choose to do so. The priority for GM Brian Gutekunst should be for the Packers to sign Zach Tom to an extension this offseason.
Why the Packers Should Sign Zach Tom to an Extension: Tom’s Play Thus Far
The Packers selected Tom in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Packers prized the Wake Forest alum for his versatility. Tom could play any of the five positions along the offensive line which is something the Packers organization covets. Although Tom lacks ideal size for an offensive tackle, he makes up for it with his high football IQ and excellent technique.
As a rookie, Tom played nine games and started five. The starts came late in the offseason when injuries struck the line. Tom surprised a lot of people with his strong play.
He became a full-time starter in 2023, starting all 17 games and taking over as the team’s starting right tackle. He started every game at right tackle again in 2024. In each of the last two seasons, Tom graded out as the Packers best offensive lineman according to Pro Football Focus.
In 2024, Tom graded out in the top five among offensive tackles according to PFF. He allowed just three sacks all season in 562 pass blocking snaps. His strong run blocking helped Josh Jacobs gain more than 1,300 yards rushing in his first season as a Packer.
The Likely Cap Hit
Because of Tom’s strong play in 2024, his 2025 base salary will increase to $3.4 million. He earned incentives that raised his salary because of his strong play last season.
His play has been at an elite level so the Packers will likely have to pay him a top-of-market deal to have him stay in Green Bay beyond this season. While there has been some talk of moving Tom to center, a position that Gutekunst felt may be his best fit when he entered the league, the Packers will still have to pay him as a tackle.
Offensive tackle is the highest paid position among offensive linemen. Tom and his agent will demand that he be paid according to his strong play at the tackle position regardless of whether Matt LaFleur decides to switch him to another position after the departure of Josh Myers and the signing of Aaron Banks.
According to spotrac.com, Tom is likely to get a deal worth roughly $86.7 million over four years for his next contract. That would place him behind only Penei Sewell among offensive tackles.
Why the Packers Should Sign Zach Tom to an Extension: The Reasons to Act Quickly
The Packers are better off signing Tom sooner rather than later under the circumstances. For one, the cap goes up each year. That means that each new contract that an offensive tackle signs only drives up the price of a top-of-the-line deal at the position. The longer Gutekunst waits to sign Tom, the more likely it is that other contracts will drive up the asking price.
In addition, the Packers face uncertainly along the offensive line, a unit that relies on continuity and chemistry. We still don’t know who the starters will be. Elgton Jenkins is expected to move to center with Banks taking over at left guard. We also don’t know where 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan will play. He could be in the mix at both right guard and left tackle. The Packers hope he wins one of those jobs, but obviously neither is guaranteed.
Tom is far from the other starter with an expiring contract. Left tackle Rasheed Walker and right guard Sean Rhyan will also be free agents after the 2025 campaign if the Packers don’t sign them to new contracts. The priority should be to lock up Tom first, because he is by far the team’s best offensive lineman.
So, if the Packers want to keep Tom, they benefit more from acting sooner than delaying. We’ll see whether the team locks up Tom before the start of training camp.