Packers, Zach Tom agree to four-year, $88 million extension; OT earns historic signing bonus

Tom’s extension addresses a significant lingering financial question for the Packers. The former fourth-round pick was entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, and instead of being forced to risk his earning power by playing out the remaining year, he’s received a lucrative extension that will set him up for a raise of more than $18 million from 2025 to 2026.

At $22 million per year, Tom ranks among the likes of Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata and Falcons tackle Jake Matthews. Among right tackles specifically, Tom vaults into the top four, ahead of Chiefs tackle Jawaan Taylor and behind Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson, but is also team friendly when stacked up against contracts for other well-compensated tackles.

Tom’s deal is the latest in this new era of spending on right tackles. Typically reserved for the best left tackles, deals for Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs and Detroit’s Penei Sewell slightly exceed the top contract for a left tackle (San Francisco’s Trent Williams) in terms of average annual value. Tom’s demonstrated versatility adds value to his contract, too, especially after he proved he was flexible during his rookie season in which he was asked to fill a number of different positions throughout the year.

A day three selection out of Wake Forest, Tom has steadily improved with each year, posting a career-best Pro Football Focus grade of 85.8 last season, good for the sixth-best mark among all tackles in the NFL. With one year of team control remaining, Green Bay decided now was the time to lock up a key protector of Jordan Love for the long term.