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.