Green Bay Packers right tackle Zach Tom has emerged as an All-Pro caliber player at a premium position and is still on a rookie deal, making him one of the top bargains along the offensive line in the NFL entering 2025. Not surprisingly, an attempt to build “the best NFL team money can buy” by NFL.com’s Tom Blair picked Tom as one of the team’s nine offensive linemen. In his exercise, Blair limited himself to only 24 rookie contracts, and he picked Tom as one of the 24.
The question is: How much longer will Tom be a tremendous bargain for the Packers?
The answer: The bargain days are nearly over.
In fact, it might be surprising if Tom plays another down for the Packers until he signs a new, lucrative deal.
As it stands now, Tom is scheduled to enter the 2025 season — the final year of his four-year rookie deal — set to make nothing more than $3,406,000 in base salary. His cap number is set at $3,532,084 this coming season.
But expect both numbers to rise, and soon. A long-term extension for Tom might not raise his cap number significantly in 2025, but if the Packers stick to their traditional contract structure, he will get a big signing bonus up front (to prorate over the life of the deal) and plenty of long-term financial security. While Tom participated throughout the offseason workout program, it’s possible he won’t be willing to risk his big payday later this summer when joint practices and preseason games begin. This actually might be a deal both sides push to get done before training camp begins so the player — a very important one for the 2025 season — can be a full participant throughout the process.
How big could Tom’s deal get? It’s probably safe to consider $25 million per year as a starting point. Three right tackles currently make at least $25 million per year: Lane Johnson, Penei Sewell and Tristan Wirfs. Tom’s representatives will argue he belongs in that group after a 2024 season in which he emerged as one of the top right tackles in the NFL.
All this is a long way of saying that Tom is a big bargain now but won’t be for much longer. Barring something unforeseen, the Packers and Tom will get a deal done this summer that moves him from bargain to handsomely paid.
This must always be a bittersweet process for the team like the Packers. A draft and develop program, the Packers want to pick good players, develop them into great players and then keep them as cornerstone players for years to come. But there’s nothing more valuable than a great player on a rookie deal, and the bargain goes away quick when the lucrative deal is earned and necessary. The end of the process is coming for Tom and the Packers this summer.
