Under NFLPA rules, prospects from the 2022 draft class are eligible for contract extensions this offseason. Green Bay’s 2022 draft class delivered starters at four different positions and played a crucial role in keeping the team competitive after Brian Gutekunst traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. However, Zach Tom is arguably the only player from that class who is a lock for an extension, though Rasheed Walker’s chances are pretty good as well. 

As a rookie, Tom appeared in nine games and showcased his versatility across the offensive line. He played 295 snaps at left tackle, 96 at left guard, 64 at right tackle, and 14 at right guard. Despite shifting between multiple positions, he allowed only 12 pressures on 296 pass-blocking snaps, which was tied for the 14th-lowest among 164 offensive linemen who played at least 290 pass-blocking snaps.

Tom followed his rookie season with an even stronger performance in 2023. He played 1,064 snaps at right tackle and was one of 19 offensive tackles to log at least 650 pass-blocking snaps that year. Tom ranked second in fewest sacks and quarterback hits allowed and was fifth in lowest pressures allowed. Furthermore, he allowed just nine pressures in 125 pass-blocking snaps against elite pass rushers like former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, Aidan Hutchinson, and Cameron Jordan. Over 952 career pass-blocking snaps, Tom surrendered only three sacks and six quarterback hits, which is a crazy ratio, to say the least. 

Jordan Love aside, there’s a strong argument that Zach Tom is the most important player on Green Bay’s offense. A clear example of his impact came during the Packers’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023-24 divisional round.

In Green Bay’s first six possessions, Love completed 15 of 22 passes for 168 yards, two touchdowns, and a 120.3 passer rating. Then, Tom went down with an injury. Over the final four drives without him, Love completed just 50% of his passes and threw two interceptions, finishing with a 16.7 passer rating. The 49ers generated significant pressure from the left side, and Tom’s absence was a major blow to Matt LaFleur’s offense.

In 2024, Zach Tom once again played right tackle full-time and delivered his best season yet. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted career-high grades in both pass blocking and run blocking. In fact, he became only the second Green Bay offensive tackle since 2006 to record pass-blocking and run-blocking grades above 80.0 in the same season—the first being David Bakhtiari in 2020.

Tom has established himself as a star right tackle, and his talent isn’t going unnoticed by his peers. When asked by ESPN’s Kevin Clark about the best offensive lineman he’s faced in the NFL, Houston Texans edge rusher and former Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson chose Tom.

"Number 50, (Zach) Tom from Green Bay. He is legit," Anderson said. "He is like a quick setter, he punches really quick, and he has a really good step off the ball, like, kick off the ball. He's good, he's more on the leaner side, quick feet, explosive hands, can get back really well. I would say he's up there."

If you’ve read Mark Oldacres’ excellent piece on Green Bay’s draft philosophy, you know that Brian Gutekunst values versatile offensive linemen. Zach Tom embodies that philosophy, having played all five positions on the offensive line. When you combine that versatility with his elite play at right tackle, it only makes sense for the Packers to get a deal done sooner rather than later.

According to Spotrac,Tom is slated to make $3,214,000 next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025 season. Green Bay could let him play out the final year of his rookie deal and negotiate an extension just before the start of free agency in 2026. However, there’s no evidence suggesting a regression is imminent for him. If anything, his play continues to trend upward, which means his price will only increase.

With the salary cap growing each year, the market inflation for player contracts continues to rise, driving every NFL agent to get the best possible deal for their clients. By negotiating an early extension, the Packers can anticipate these trends and lock up their star tackle for the foreseeable future, securing his services before his price increases even further. An early contract extension would also allow Green Bay to move on and potentially secure another extension, such as Rasheed Walker’s, in the near future.

I believe there's no question that a deal will get done—it’s just a matter of when. You just don’t see NFL franchises let many of those big boys up front hit the open market. Tom is a star tackle who also provides valuable flexibility in case the Packers ever need to move him around. Letting him hit free agency would be one of the worst decisions of Brian Gutekunst's tenure, and it's highly unlikely to happen.

Green Bay has a knack for finding offensive line gems in the later rounds, and Tom is a prime example of how effective that philosophy has been. His success reinforces the Packers’ ability to develop mid-round talent into high-level starters, and securing his future in Green Bay should be a top priority.