6 days ago
Packers' Zach Tom Believes He's Close To Becoming The NFL's Best Right Tackle
Green Bay Packers right tackle Zach Tom (50) blocks Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard ... More (58) last season.
Pro Football Focus recently ranked the NFL's top right tackles, and Green Bay's Zach Tom checked in at No. 3.
Tom, about to enter his fourth season and a contract year, believes he's close to becoming the top right tackle in football.
'Not far at all,' Tom said Tuesday when asked how far away he is from being the best. 'I've just got to hone in on my technique, being consistent in that, because I think when I'm at my best, I'm the best in the league. But I've just got to be able to do that more consistently than I think I have.'
Tom, a fourth round draft pick in 2022, started five games and played in nine as a rookie. Four of Tom's starts came at left tackle and the other was at left guard.
Tom gave up just one sack in 489 offensive snaps in 2022 and finished with a grade of 68.3 from Pro Football Focus.
Tom beat out veteran Yosh Nijman for the starting right tackle job in training camp in 2023, then delivered a terrific season.
In 1,068 snaps that year, Tom allowed just two sacks, had only three penalties and ranked 15th among eligible offensive tackles with a grade of 79.7 by PFF.
Tom suffered a torn pectoral muscle while lifting weights at the Packers' facility in April, 2024. But he made it back by training camp, started all 17 games, and helped Green Bay allow the second-fewest number of sacks in football (22).
Tom's overall PFF grade of 85.8 ranked sixth among all tackles in football. And his 87.8 run-blocking grade ranked third among all right tackles.
'It's not like I set a goal to be the 10th-best tackle in the league,' Tom said. 'Obviously, I want to be the best. Yeah, absolutely, it's nice to get recognition out there But, at this position, you're not always going to get recognized. So I don't really take what people on the outside are saying too seriously.'
What Tom will take seriously is his looming contract.
Detroit's Penei Sewell is the NFL's highest paid right tackle at an average of $28 million per season. Philadelphia's Lane Johnson ($25M) and Kansas City Juwaan Taylor ($20M) rank second and third in average yearly salary.
With another big season, Tom will likely enter that stratosphere — whether that's in Green Bay or somewhere else.
'I'm not going to get into that,' Tom said. 'I'll just let that take care of itself.'
