{"id":41284,"date":"2026-01-08T23:06:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T23:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=41284"},"modified":"2026-01-08T23:06:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T23:06:32","slug":"packers-issue-concerning-injury-update-on-star-rt-zach-tom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=41284","title":{"rendered":"Packers Issue Concerning Injury Update on Star RT Zach Tom"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2243668619-e1761650145751.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2243668619-e1761650145751.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2243668619-e1761650145751.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2243668619-e1761650145751.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Packers Issue Concerning Injury Update on Star RT Zach Tom\" width=\"780\" height=\"437\" \/><\/figure>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Zach Tom has yet to earn Pro-Bowl or All-Pro honors, but he is easily the most important piece of an offensive line that has stepped back in meaningful ways this season from the few years prior.<\/p>\n<p>Tom finished as the No. 2 right tackle in the NFL this season, per Pro Football Focus, but his status for Saturday night\u2019s Wild Card Round showdown with the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field is up in the air due to knee and back injuries.<\/p>\n<p>Tom was a limited participant in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday before sitting out entirely on Thursday due to a \u201crest day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLaFleur said they\u2019re giving Zach Tom a rest day today,\u201d Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reported.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Packers Offensive Line Fell 13 Spots Year-Over-Year<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_5697804\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1710461375-e1767741446760.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" alt=\"Packers Issue Concerning Injury Update on Star RT Zach Tom\" width=\"782\" height=\"439\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5697804\" data-lazy-load=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5697804\">GettyOffensive tackle Zach Tom of the Green Bay Packers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Packers finished second in the NFC North Division last season, just as they did in 2025, and entered the playoffs as a Wild Card team\/No. 7 seed each time.<\/p>\n<p>How Green Bay got to essentially the same spot in each of the past two years has differed meaningfully, with one of the primary discrepancies existing along the offensive line.<\/p>\n<p>The Packers had the No. 6 unit heading into a road playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last January. Tom was even better during that season than he was this year, which was more impacted by health concerns.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe most important development for the Packers\u2019 offensive line in 2024 was learning that Rasheed Walker\u2019s 2023 season was not a fluke and they can count on him at left tackle. Walker\u2019s 79.6 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked 15th among left tackles this season,\u201d Zolt\u00e1n Buday of PFF wrote exactly one year ago on January 8, 2025. \u201cTom earned an 87.6 PFF overall grade this season, leading all right tackles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tom put up an overall grade of 83.5 this year, but also missed five games due to injury. He started all 17 contests for Green Bay in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Packers\u2019 offensive line struggled in pass protection this season,\u201d Buday wrote Wednesday after ranking the group 19th in the league. \u201cThe unit gave up 173 pressures, including 15 sacks, on 561 pass plays. That fueled an 83.2 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating, which ranked only 26th in the NFL in 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Green Bay\u2019s most suspect starter on the line was left guard Aaron Banks, after the Packers spent $77 million on a four-year deal to acquire him following his first four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Bears\u2019 Pass Rush Among Worst in NFL Heading Into Playoffs<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_5667983\">\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2252908021-e1766286830243.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" alt=\"Packers Issue Concerning Injury Update on Star RT Zach Tom\" width=\"782\" height=\"440\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5667983\" data-lazy-load=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5667983\">GettyChicago Bears defensive end Austin Booker sacks Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The silver lining for the Packers is that the Bears\u2019 pass rush is exceedingly weak.<\/p>\n<p>Chicago mustered just 35 sacks as a team this season, tying three other teams for 26th in league. Two of those franchises, the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs, weren\u2019t close to making the postseason. The other, the New England Patriots, is the No. 2 seed in the AFC.<\/p>\n<p>Tom missed the final three games of this regular season, most recently playing against the Denver Broncos on December 14.<\/p>\n<p>Also questionable for the Packers\u2019 opening playoff contest are defensive lineman Warren Brinson (foot), safety Javon Bullard (knee), linebacker Nick Niemann (pectoral), wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) and quarterback Malik Willis (right shoulder\/hamstring).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Green Bay Packers may not have their best offensive lineman for the Wild Card playoff matchup with the Chicago Bears on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":41286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-green-bay-packers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - 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