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Zach Tom

Packers To Reassess Zach Tom After Week 5

September 26th, 2025 at 11:26am CST by Nikhil Mehta

11:26am: Belton will be unavailable in Week 4 after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice, according to head coach Matt LaFleur (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). That will likely position Kinnard to start at right tackle with Morgan likely continuing at left guard in Banks’ absence.

9:56am: Packers right tackle Zach Tom is unlikely to take the field for Sunday night’s showdown with the Cowboys, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Tom suffered an oblique injury in Week 1 that sidelined him for one game. He returned in Week 3 only to reaggravate the injury on the first snap. He has not participated in practice this week.

Green Bay is planning to reassess Tom’s oblique after their Week 5 bye in the hopes that he can quickly return to the field and ramp up for the team’s next game vs. the Bengals, per Schefter.

The Packers have tried three players at right tackle in Tom’s absence to varying amounts of success. Former Eagle Darian Kinnard and rookie Anthony Belton both stepped in after Tom went down in Week 1. Belton got the start in Week 2 and replaced Tom in Week 3, with Kinnard getting snaps in both games. The Packers also put 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan at right tackle for a handful of snaps in Week 3.

Belton was limited in practice on Wednesday before missing Thursday’s session, so Green Bay may rely on Kinnard and Morgan in Week 4 vs. Cincinnati, though the latter may be needed to replace injured left guard Aaron Banks. Like Tom, he was sidelined in Week 2, re-injured himself in the next game, and has yet to practice this week.

Tom has been durable in his career, appearing in 40 straight game since cracking the starting lineup as a rookie until his Week 2 absence. The Packers will be hoping that he can return to the field quickly and play the rest of the season without issue.

NFL Injury Updates: Wharton, Lions, Colts

September 11th, 2025 at 7:21pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton suffered a hamstring injury in his Panthers debut and will miss time as a result.

Head coach Dave Canales said (via team reporter Darin Gantt) that Wharton’s absence would be “somewhere in the two- to four-week range.” That could preclude a move to injured reserve, as Wharton would be sidelined for a mandatory four week after his placement. Given the nature of his injury, the Panthers likely want to get him back on the practice field sooner as he ramps up to game readiness.

Wharton, 27, signed in Carolina this offseason for $15MM per year with the hopes of combining with Derrick Brown and A’Shawn Robinson to upgrade the Panthers’ interior pass rush. The former Chief put up a career-high 6.5 sacks in 2024 and added two more in the playoffs.

Until Wharton returns to the field, the Panthers will lean on a backups Bobby Brown and Jaden Crumedy. Rookie Cam Jackson should also get more opportunities after sitting as a healthy scratch in Week 1.

Here are several other injury updates from around the NFL:

Packers Give T Zach Tom Four-Year Extension

July 21st, 2025 at 10:30pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Packers are signing right tackle Zach Tom to a four-year, $88MM extension, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The Packers had been working on Tom’s extension throughout the offseason, and with training camp starting this week, the team managed to get it across the finish line. The 26-year-old tackle is now under contract through 2029 and will continue to be a key part of Green Bay’s offensive line. Originally a fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2022, Tom played every position except center as a rookie before settling in at right tackle for the last two years.

Tom’s deal has a maximum value of $92MM, per Pelissero, which includes a $30.2MM signing bonus, the biggest for any offensive lineman in league history. The previous record holder was David Bakhtiari, another Packers offensive tackle.

That’s no coincidence: Green Bay typically does not guarantee any money outside of the signing bonus, so they regularly hand out large signing bonuses (and roster bonuses that vest early in the offseason) to address players’ cash flow and guarantee concerns. That makes it likely, though not certain, that Tom’s guarantees top out at $30.2MM as well, which would trail the rest of the OT market.

However, the overall value of Tom’s deal reflects his ascension from versatile fourth-rounder to one of the league’s best right tackles. His $22MM APY is the fourth highest among right tackles and tied with Jordan Mailata for 10th among all offensive lineman, fitting for a player who graded out as Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best tackle in 2024 (subscription required).

Tom’s extension will likely put pressure on the Packers to address Elgton Jenkins‘ contract. The 2019 second-round pick entered the league as a left guard, where he has played a vast majority of his snaps, with multiple starts at center and both tackle spots. He is expected to move to center – a lesser-paid position – this offseason, so he has requested an adjustment to the extension he signed in 2022. That deal runs through 2026, when Jenkins has a $24.8MM cap hit that the Packers might find untenable for a center, especially with no remaining guaranteed money. (In 2025, the highest cap hit for a center is Lloyd Cushenberry at $14.255MM, per OverTheCap.)

Green Bay’s precedent will make it very difficult for Jenkins to add guaranteed money to his deal, so he may have to pursue an outright extension. That route will be complicated by the pending free agency of left tackle Rasheed Walker, a late seventh-round pick in 2022 who took over for an injured Bakhtiari in 2023 and never looked back. With significant capital already invested in both guard spots – a $77MM contract for Aaron Banks and a first-round pick on 2024 draftee Jordan Morgan – Jenkins might be the odd man out if the Packers ultimately prioritize Jordan Love‘s blind side over his snapper.

No matter how Jenkins’ contract situation shakes out, Love will be able to count on Tom to protect his strong side for the foreseeable future.

Packers Expected To Extend RT Zach Tom

July 9th, 2025 at 1:14pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Packers are expected to sign right tackle Zach Tom to a long-term contract extension before the start of the regular season, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

Tom, a 2022 fourth-round pick, is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He served as a versatile backup in his first season with snaps at both tackle spots and left guard before emerging as Green Bay’s starting right tackle in 2023. Tom took his game to another level in 2024 and earned the third-most All-Pro votes at his position behind Penei Sewell and Lane Johnson, per Schneidman. Tom’s 85.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked sixth among right tackles last year.

As a result, the 26-year-old should be in line for a contract with an APY well over $20MM. The top of the right tackle market has been just as strong as the blind side with Sewell and Johnson both clearing $25MM per year on their last contracts.

Tom’s negotiations with the Packers will likely be centered around guaranteed money. Green Bay has historically resisted offering guarantees outside of the signing bonus; only star quarterback Jordan Love was able to break that precedent. Since he plays a critical position, Tom could push for some guaranteed salary in his contract, but that could draw out negotiations with a front office that prefers to provide players with job security via roster bonuses due early in the offseason.

Tom was a full participant in the Packers’ offseason program, which is unlikely to change in training camp even if contract talks take longer than expected.

“Being here with the guys, I think that’s worth a lot more,” said Tom (via Schneidman).

Packers Discussing Extensions With RT Zach Tom, LB Quay Walker

June 24th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

Zach Tom has established himself as a key member of the Packers’ offensive line over the past two seasons in particular. One year remains on his rookie deal, meaning a free agent departure could be in store next spring.

Efforts have begun to ensure that will not happen, however. Tom – Green Bay’s right tackle since the start of the 2023 season – has been the subject of recent extension discussions. General manager Brian Gutekunst is aiming to work out a long-term deal with the 26-year-old.

[RELATED: Packers Unlikely To Extend Gutekunst, HC Matt LaFleur]

“We’ve had really healthy conversations with Zach about locking him up,” Gutekunst said during an interview with Cheesehead TV (video link). “Certainly that’s something we’d like to do. These things take time.”

Tom entered the league with tempered expectations given his status as a fourth-round pick. He made five starts as a rookie, though, logging nearly 300 snaps at left tackle. He has operated at the opposite tackle spot on a full-time basis since then, finding success in that role. Tom ranked 15th in terms of PFF evaluation amongst qualifying tackles in 2023 and improved his overall mark to 85.8 last season. That figure was good enough for sixth overall.

As a result, a long-term investment in this case would make plenty of sense. Tom has not missed a game during his two years serving as the Packers’ right tackle, something which will help his bargaining power. The Wake Forest product is in line to collect $3.53MM this season, whereas 14 offensive tackles are currently attached to a deal averaging at least $11.5MM annually. Tom should not be expected to reach the top of the right tackle market (Penei Sewell at $28MM per year) on a second contract, but a notable raise will be in store if an agreement can be reached this summer.

To little surprise, Gutekunst added the Packers have also spoken about an extension with linebacker Quay Walker. Green Bay declined his fifth-year option this spring, since exercising it would have locked him into $14.75MM in earnings for 2026. The figure for linebackers is affected by pass rushers, so it has become increasingly commonplace around the NFL for off-ball players to see their options turned down.

Gutekunst has consistently maintained, however, that the Packers want to keep Walker in place beyond the coming campaign. The Georgia product has recorded at least 102 tackles in each of his three seasons to date, adding 6.5 sacks and 12 pass deflections along the way. Walker, 25, is due $4.4MM this year as he prepares for what will likely be an increase in time spent alongside 2024 second-rounder Edgerrin Cooper. A notable bump in pay will be needed if Walker is to remain in place for 2026 and beyond.

Green Bay is currently projected to be mid-pack in terms of cap space for 2026. Extending one or both of Tom and Walker would eat into their funds for next year, but deals on these fronts would keep more members of their young core in place for the long-term future. It will be interesting to see if an agreement is reached with either player before training camp opens next month.

OL Notes: Thuney, Packers, Cowboys, Bears

January 17th, 2025 at 7:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Joe Thuney landed on the All-Pro first team at his natural left guard position, but as the Chiefs have struggled to find a left tackle solution this season, they had kicked their standout LG to that post. Although in-season free agency addition D.J. Humphries is healthy, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes Kansas City will leave Thuney at LT. This arrangement has featured Mike Caliendo at left guard. Humphries, who rehabbed an ACL tear for most of 2024 as a free agent, suffered a hamstring injury during his Chiefs debut. Thuney has fared much better than Wanya Morris or second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia, the latter having won the job out of training camp. While the two-time reigning champions will have work to do at this spot soon, it appears their threepeat push will feature Thuney at LT the rest of the way.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:

  • The Packers have both their primary tackle starters (Rasheed Walker, Zach Tom) under contract for 2025, and Elgton Jenkins is tied to a lucrative extension. With Jordan Morgan‘s rookie deal going through 2027, Green Bay only has one key UFA-to-be on its offensive front. Four-year center starter Josh Myers is out of contract, but GM Brian Gutekunst labeled (via the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Ryan Wood) the blocker as having “his best year.” Perhaps more importantly, Gutekunst praised how Myers and Jordan Love work as a combo on offense. Although Ryan Kelly is the biggest name among available centers, Myers’ age (26) and experience (56 starts) will help him become one of the top interior O-linemen on the market. The Packers last faced a decision on a center in 2021, when they let Corey Linsley walk before drafting Myers. It will be interesting to see how they address the situation with Myers.
  • Also in Green Bay, Gutekunst noted that there could be some shuffling in the offensive line starters’ positions. Notably, he mentioned that Tom, who has started every game at right tackle for the past two years, could potentially shift over to the blind side, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Back in 2022, Tom’s rookie season, the Wake Forest alum started games at both left tackle and left guard, and Gutekunst believes Tom could play any of the five positions, though he lauds that the 25-year-old has established himself at tackle and could end up starting on the left side.
  • In the recent past Jerry Jones and the Cowboys have been extremely fortunate when forced to start rookie offensive linemen. Players like Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Connor Williams, and Zack Martin have all been players who immediately (or almost immediately) stepped in to great success on the offensive line in Dallas. This year, Jones hoped he’d be able to count to two rookies drafted in the first three rounds once again, starting first-round Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton and third-round Kansas State center Cooper Beebe for a combined 27 games. Guyton was drafted to replace departed veteran Tyron Smith, but the rookie was in a bit over his head this season. Out of 81 players graded at the position by Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Guyton graded out as the 73rd-best tackle, getting benched near the end of the season. Beebe faired a bit better in 16 starts but only ranked as the 16th-best center in the league, per PFF. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, Jones admitted on a radio interview with 105.3 The FAN that he “probably got a little out over (his) skis thinking, ‘just plug those guys in.'”
  • Offensive guard Matt Pryor has bounced around quite a bit over his first six years in the NFL, getting traded halfway through his rookie deal from Philadelphia to Indianapolis before spending a year each in San Francisco and Chicago. In his sixth NFL season, Pryor, who had only filled in as a starter over his first five years, found himself starting 15 games this season for the Bears. According to Adam Jahns of The Athletic, Pryor wouldn’t mind putting down some roots, saying “he’d like to return” after the one-year deal he played on this season. He graded out decently (21st of 77) per PFF, so he could fetch some money on the free agent market, but it sounds like he’s interested in staying in Chicago.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Packers Prepared To Use Jordan Morgan At Guard; LB Edgerrin Cooper Not Likely To Start

August 14th, 2024 at 12:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers’ offensive line is starting to take shape, and it looks likely to include the team’s first-round pick at a new position. Jordan Morgan returned to practice after missing time with a shoulder injury, and he is on track to work at guard.

Drafted shortly after the Packers released David Bakhtiari, Morgan became only the second Green Bay first-round pick allocated to offense over the past 12 years. The Arizona product began training at left tackle during the Packers’ offseason program and would seem positioned to be a long-term answer at one of the team’s tackle spots. For now, however, the team wants to see its rookie on the field.

Despite Morgan’s arrival, The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman notes Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom are locked in at left and right tackle (subscription required). Tom returned from an offseason pectoral tear recently and has reclaimed his RT post. Morgan may be see sporadic tackle reps for preparation purposes, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein notes the team has been using the No. 25 overall pick at right guard. It is likely Morgan remains there in what looks like a “best five” scenario for a Packers front that also carries Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins at left guard and Josh Myers at center.

Tackle-to-guard moves from college to the pros are certainly not uncommon, and Morgan moving inside would represent yet another transition involving a 2024 first-round tackle. If Duke tackle Graham Barton counts, nine college tackles were chosen in this year’s first round. Of that group, most are changing positions. Joe Alt (Chargers) is sliding from left to right tackle, while JC Latham is moving from right to left tackle with the Titans. The Saints flipped Oregon State RT Taliese Fuaga to the blind side, while the Steelers are readying Washington LT Troy Fautanu for a Week 1 RT role. The Cowboys are shifting Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton from right to left tackle. The Bucs are moving Barton from left tackle to center, though that was widely expected.

Walker and Tom are each under contract through the 2025 season. While two teams (the Cardinals and Steelers) have flipped 2023 first-round tackles (Paris Johnson Jr., Broderick Jones) to left tackle ahead of their second seasons, the Packers could have Morgan at guard for multiple years. Though, it is still early here. Morgan being moved inside opens the door for a swing role, and Andre Dillard — after starting at right tackle in Green Bay’s preseason opener — may be in the lead on Caleb Jones and 2023 UDFA Kadeem Telfort, Schneidman adds.

Elsewhere on the Packers’ depth chart, second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper looks unlikely to start at linebacker in Week 1. Rumored to be a candidate to take over at one of Green Bay’s ILB spots, Cooper has missed multiple weeks due to a hip injury. The Texas A&M product had not yet unseated Eric Wilson or fourth-year cog Isaiah McDuffie when he was practicing, per Schneidman. While Cooper will undoubtedly be given an extended chance to earn a starting role alongside Quay Walker eventually, he may be parked as a backup to open the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/24

July 22nd, 2024 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Waived-injured: WR Jared Wayne

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: WR Kevin Austin Jr.

New York Jets

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/17/24

July 17th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Some roster movement today in minor transactions as several teams are starting to add players to early injured lists:

Chicago Bears

  • Placed on active/NFI list: T Kiran Amegadjie
  • Placed on active/PUP list: DT Jamree Kromah

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Seattle Seahawks

There was good news on the Horton front back in May as it was announced that the Texans defender had completed his final treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. As a rookie out of TCU, Horton sat out the final seven games of the 2023 season on the non-football illness list. As he continues to work his way back to the field, it appears he’ll start the summer on the list, as well.

Thompson’s situation in Kansas City also received some good news of late. After suffering a seizure that caused him to go into cardiac arrest in early-June, the Chiefs defender continues to make progress towards a return. He’ll start the summer on the non-football injury list but will continue to work his way back as he continues with medical procedures, per Nate Taylor of The Athletic.

Latest On Packers’ Offensive Line

July 13th, 2024 at 2:37pm CST by Ely Allen

The Packers are set to return four of five from their starting offensive line from last year. Only right guard Jon Runyan departed in free agency, signing with the Giants in the offseason. With that kind of returning experience, one might not expect many changes to occur, but that may not be the case in Green Bay this summer as the team has remained active in adding to the position group.

Taking a look at the returning four starters, we’ll start at center with Josh Myers. After missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury, Myers has bounced back reliably, starting all 17 games in each of the last two years. While the best ability is availability, Myers hasn’t shined during his rookie contract, never ranking higher than the 26th-best at his position, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Heading into a contract year, Myers will need to show he deserves a second contract in the NFL

Returning at left guard is Elgton Jenkins, who has impressed at times in recent years but had a bit of a down season in 2023. After Pro Bowl seasons in 2020 and 2021, Jenkins rankied just 28th out of 77 players at the position in 2023. PFF did grant him the league’s seventh-highest pass blocking grade last year, though, an area in which he routinely excels. He has had a little trouble staying on the field as of late, missing at least two games in each of the past three years, including nine missed games with a torn ACL in 2021.

At tackle, the team returns both starters in Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom. A seventh-round pick in 2022 out of Penn State, Walker took over the starting left tackle job for Yosh Nijman in place of an injured David Bakhtiari in Week 2 of last season and only gave the job up for a short, injured period. In his first season as a starter, Walker performed admirably during his 15 starts. A fourth-round pick in the same draft out of Wake Forest, Tom has been a pleasant surprise in Green Bay at right tackle. After stepping into a starting role for five games in his rookie season, Tom became a full-time starter last year and PFF rewarded his efforts by grading him as the 15th-best tackle in the NFL. His run blocking grade was the sixth-best in the league.

While Walker was an admirable replacement for Bakhtiari in a pinch, the Packers made two moves that indicate they may be entertaining an upgrade at the position, signing veteran free agent Andre Dillard and drafting Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan in the first round of this year’s draft. A former first-round pick himself out of Washington State, Dillard failed to live up to his draft stock in four years between the Eagles and Titans. After only nine starts in three years in Philadelphia, Dillard started a career-high 10 games for Tennessee last year. Showing improvement in a new city last season, perhaps another change of scenery could benefit Dillard, but if he can’t unseat Walker, he at least serves as a valuable backup swing tackle with starting experience after the departure of Nijman in free agency.

Though Morgan played solely at left tackle in his career with the Wildcats, many saw him projecting better at guard during the pre-draft process. Green Bay saw what most others did and tried him out at every position except center during the spring, according to Packers editor Mike Spofford. Morgan could be battling for multiple starting jobs depending on what the team needs him to do. Obviously, with left tackle experience, Morgan could offer an improvement to what Walker provides as a starter, though the absence of Tom throughout organized team activities and minicamp due to a torn pectoral muscle could mean Morgan gets more reps on the right side. Tom is due back for training camp, though it’s unclear how healthy he’ll be.

Morgan could also be an option to replace Runyan at right guard, though he’ll be competing with yet another 2022 draft pick. Former third-rounder Sean Rhyan out of UCLA got a bit of action last year after seeing little utilization in his rookie season. Rhyan was essentially splitting time with Runyan at the end of last year, so while he has zero starts to his name, he does have first-team experience. In the case that neither player steps up, the team can fall back onto Royce Newman, who started as a rookie in 2021 before taking lesser roles the last two years.

What we’re seeing in Green Bay is a healthy situation. Plenty of experienced starters return in 2024 and a few candidates like Morgan, Dillard, and Rhyan provide potential improvements and strong competition to either replace Runyan or beat out a returning starter. Myers, perhaps a weak point on the line, should get one more opportunity to prove himself, as well. Offensive line coach Luke Butkus has a lot of strong options as the team nears a return for camp.

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