Despite featuring a new quarterback and a group of young weapons, there aren’t many open starting spots on the Green Bay Packers’ offense. Green Bay’s quarterback may be new, but the running backs, top wide receivers, top tight end, and most of the offensive line return from last year. Perhaps the only true starting spot battle is at right tackle, where the team has two primary options.
Veteran Yosh Nijman proved he could handle right tackle just as well as the left side by midseason. It took constant shuffling to find the best alignment, but Nijman was the preferred starter on the right side. However, when injuries pushed rookie Zach Tom into the lineup, he proved himself as one of the best five linemen on the team.
Tom’s best spot is still being determined, but if OTAs were any indication, the team sees him as a tackle. He and Nijman alternated during off-season activities, and that battle will continue deep into the preseason. Nijman signed a second-round tender this off-season, making him a free agent next year. How will this positional battle shake out, and what does Nijman’s future with the team look like?
Nijman is one of Green Bay’s best UDFA success stories and a testament to how good the Packers are at developing offensive linemen. Since joining the Packers in 2019, Nijman went from a practice squad player, to a backup tackle, to an impactful starter. Nijman got his chance to shine in 2021 with David Bakhtiari still recovering from his 2020 injury and Elgton Jenkins, who was playing left tackle at that time, suffered an ankle injury in Week 2.
Nijman made his debut as a starting tackle the following week and kept the Packers’ offense rolling. He maintained the job until Jenkins returned in Week 6. However, he became the starter again when Jenkins suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11.
With Bahktiari and Jenkins still recovering from their injuries at the start of 2022, Nijman entered the season as the starting left tackle. Nijman settled into a backup and relief role when Bakhtiari returned, but it didn’t take long for him to jump back into the starting lineup. Jenkins returned as the team’s primary right tackle but struggled. Eventually, Jenkins went back to left guard and found his usual success while Nijman became the starting right tackle.
Nijman handled the job solidly as usual, but a late-season shoulder injury sapped his strength. The Packers benched Nijman for Tom in the season finale against the Detroit Lions.
Now he’ll once again compete with Tom in what is a pivotal career year for Nijman. A team would have had to spend a second-round pick to acquire him, and it’s mildly surprising no one did considering the state of offensive lines around the league. Nijman enters the season on a one-year deal and looking to secure a big payday next year.
The Packers generally favor the veteran player in position battles. For example, the played Lane Taylor over Elgton Jenkins. But Tom established himself as one of the league’s best young linemen last season, and it would be foolish to keep him out of the mix.
Green Bay’s coaching staff implied they would test Tom at center and right guard in addition to right tackle. However, most of his reps came at right tackle this summer. Center looks like Josh Myers‘ spot to lose, and we’ve seen nothing to imply Jon Runyan Jr. won’t maintain his right guard spot.
Tom and Nijman’s battle will continue once training camp begins, and the winner likely won’t be decided until the preseason finishes. The runner-up will be the primary swing tackle. For Tom, this would be a reasonable step in his career, taking a full-time job in 2024. But it would have bigger implications for Nijman.
Playing throughout 2023 as a swing tackle likely means a lower payday in the future, whether from Green Bay or another team. If Nijman wins the job and has a good year, he’ll be in line for a big payday — good tackles are hard to find. Still, he may price himself out of Green Bay’s budget.
David Bakhtiari’s ultimate fate also creates uncertainty. No. 69 proved he’s still one of the league’s best tackles when healthy, but his leg injury will always be under a microscope. The Packers will also have to rework Bakhtiari’s contract in 2024 if they wants to retain his services, which they should.
If Bakhtiari is injured or the team moves on in 2024, there could be a future for both Tom and Nijman to start as bookend tackles. But the more likely option is that one of them pulls ahead for the right tackle job. And it will be tough for the former UDFA to keep up with a rising star.
If I were a gambling man, I’d guess Tom’s ascending ability and draft status give him the edge over Nijman. If so, Nijman could still earn a long-term, if less lucrative deal as a swing tackle in Green Bay. But there’s a reason we let these battles play out, and Nijman still has a chance to earn the starting spot and a big payday. This will be a pivotal off-season for the big robot.
