No. 7 — Zach Tom

The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.

Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.

The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.

Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.

“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s time we started competing for championships.”

Those are fair expectations.

The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.

“I think they’re ready,” Gutekunst said.

Now, it’s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.

Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2025 campaign.

At No. 7 is offensive lineman Zach Tom.

No. 7

Zach Tom, OT

Last season

Tom suffered a torn pectoral muscle while lifting weights at the Packers’ facility in April, 2024. He made it back by training camp, though and started all 17 games.

Tom’s overall Pro Football Focus grade of 87.5 ranked fourth among the 140 tackles in football. His run-blocking grade of 90.0 ranked third among all tackles and his 82.1 pass blocking grade ranked 12^th.

Tom played 1,070 snaps last season, third most on the team behind fellow offensive linemen Rasheed Walker (1,075) and Elgton Jenkins (1,071). He allowed three sacks, 24 pressures and had seven penalties.

Tom also helped Green Bay allow the second-fewest number of sacks in football (22) and finish fifth in rushing yards per game (146.8).

Tom was named a first-team All-Pro at right tackle by PFF for the 2024 season.

Career to date

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.

“He’s versatile,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Tom. “I thought coming out that his best spot might be center. I think he could do that very well. The way he played at tackle and guard (in 2022) maybe opened my eyes that he’s got maybe more potential there, as well.”

In 2023, Tom beat out veteran Yosh Nijman for the starting right tackle job during training camp, then delivered a terrific season.

In 1,068 snaps that year, Tom allowed just two sacks, had only three penalties and ranked 18th out of 89 eligible offensive tackles in Pro Football Focus’ pass-blocking efficiency metric.

Tom held his own that season against elite pass rushers such as Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson (twice), San Francisco’s Nick Bosa, Oakland’s Maxx Crosby, Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, the Chargers’ Khalil Mack and Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter.

Outlook

The Packers have three offensive linemen entering the final year of their contracts — Tom, Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan. Tom should be the top priority, though, and could even have a long-term contract in place before the season arrives.

Pro Football Focus recently ranked Tom as the No. 3 right tackle in football. Tom, about to enter his fourth season, believes he’s close to becoming No. 1.

“Not far at all,” Tom said when asked how far away he is from being the best. “I’ve just got to home 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.”

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’s 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.”

They Said It …

“I think he can play any position. So, it just happened to be that he kind of found his home at right tackle, but I think his versatility is one of the things that makes him special. I think he can play all five, and there’s not a lot of guys that can do that, but I would say that he’s got the athleticism. I think he’s a very intelligent football player, and he’s played pretty consistent over the course of the last few years.” — Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Tom

“Zach is a heady, smart player. He understands his body I think better than anybody else. So I’m going to give him the tools and I’m going to help teach him, but he’s a really smart player. He does things that just come naturally to him. I’d like to take credit, but I don’t think it’s me.” — Packers offensive line coach Luke Butkus on Tom

“I would just say consistency — being a guy that can set the tone during games, being a guy that you can really rely on to block those edge rushers — those elite edge rushers — one-on-one, take them out of the game. But, yeah, that’s the next step for me, for sure. Just being a guy that you know is going to get it done out there.” — Tom on the next step in his growth

THE TOP 30

• No. 30 — RB MarShawn Lloyd

• No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks

• No. 28 — S Javon Bullard

• No. 27 — WR Savion Williams

• No. 26 — LB Isaiah McDuffie

• No. 25 — OL Jordan Morgan

• No. 24 — WR Matthew Golden

• No. 23 — CB Carrington Valentine

• No. 22 — WR Romeo Doubs

• No. 21 — QB Malik Willis

• N0. 20 — DE Lukas Van Ness

• No. 19 — RG Sean Rhyan

• No. 18 — LT Rasheed Walker

• No. 17 — DT Devonte Wyatt

• No. 16 — S Evan Williams

• No. 15 — CB Nate Hobbs

• No. 14 — LB Quay Walker

• No. 13 — OL Aaron Banks

• No. 12 — CB Keisean Nixon

• No. 11 — K Brandon McManus

• No. 10 — TE Tucker Kraft

• No. 9 — WR Jayden Reed

• No. 8 — DT Kenny Clark