There isn’t a ton of tangible news in the PackerVerse right now. With the draft still about a week and a half out, any non-draft news related to the Green Bay Packers is a big deal.
So when ESPN’s Rob Demovsky had insight into one of Green Bay’s rising stars, it ushered in many possibilities.
On the Wilde and Tausch Show last Friday, Demovsky revealed that many in the Packers organization believe the team has its long-term starting center — and it’s not Josh Myers.
“I was told by a couple of people within the organization,” Demovsky reported, “they think Zach Tom is a Pro Bowl right tackle, an All-Pro guard, and a potential Hall of Fame center.”
While trying to come up with their “best five” along the offensive line, Tom took reps at center before the 2023 season before becoming the team’s starting right tackle. Tom was outstanding in his first season there. But if the Packers want to maximize Tom at what they believe to be his best position, they’ll need to rebuild their offensive line strategy seriously. How will this affect Green Bay’s draft strategy if they view Tom as a center long-term?
Tom played left tackle and center at Wake Forest, with 23 games on the blind side and 14 at center. He possessed the versatility the Packers love and quickly proved himself a gifted lineman. Therefore, the question wasn’t when Tom should start but at what position.
Even with interior linemen earning bigger contracts and seemingly considered a more premium position than in the past, tackle is still the more valuable position in a vacuum. As Demovsky noted, Tom has proven he has the potential to be a Pro Bowler there.
But if they believe Tom can be a Hall of Fame talent at center, it makes sense to move him there and figure out other options at tackle.
The Packers tested Tom at center before last season, but the team ultimately left Myers there. The Packers publicly love Myers, but he hasn’t lived up to his draft status and is entering the final season of his rookie deal.
But the Packers wouldn’t need to wait until 2025 to make the switch for Tom. If they believe his best position is at center, they could put him there early and test out Myers at guard, a spot without much-proven depth.
Based on their current pre-draft depth, a starting lineup could look like Rasheed Walker at left tackle, Elgton Jenkins at left guard or right tackle, Myers and Sean Rhyan as guards, and Tom at center.
The issue is that the Packers are already thin at tackle after David Bakhtiari‘s release and Yosh Nijman‘s departure. Walker settled in nicely at left tackle to close the season but doesn’t have the job locked down.
Of course, the Packers also need depth along the interior. The depth at guard is lacking, and Myers isn’t a lock to return in 2025.
So, regardless of Tom’s ideal position, the Packers need to load up on offensive linemen through the draft. But how they do so might determine their long-term plans with Tom.
Graham Barton has been a popular first-round pick for the Packers, and I think he’s neat. Barton should get a chance to prove he can play tackle before being solely labeled an interior-only guy. But like Tom, Barton might be best at center. If Tom is going to be the team’s center, he suddenly is a less likely pick for Green Bay. Ditto for other interior prospects. However, if Tom is going to be an interior guy, the Packers may wait until later in the draft and focus on tackles.
The Packers haven’t selected a tackle in the first round since Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga in 2010. They’ve found success acquiring tackles in the later rounds, leading many to believe Green Bay will wait to address that position. But this is a gifted tackle class, and the need is greater than ever. If Tom is the center, the Packers may address tackle early.
Green Bay has had visits with Amarius Mims and Tyler Guyton, who aren’t typical Packers types, thanks to a combination of experience and size. But with five top-100 picks, a glaring need there, and the intent to move their starting right tackle inside, it could make sense to defy expectations. If the Packers take a tackle in the first round, it’s a good sign of what they plan to do with Tom.
Brian Gutekunst has selected three offensive linemen in a draft multiple times, and he’ll likely do that again this season. But when he takes them and at what position will clue us into their long-term plans.
How the board falls isn’t up to the Packers, though. Even if they want Tom at center, they might not be able to get the tackles they want and could elect to keep Tom at right tackle through 2024 and move him to center in 2025 when Myers is gone.
But we’ll see Gutekunst’s game plan in action soon. If he prioritizes offensive tackles early, that could mean Tom takes to center early. Tom proved himself at right tackle, a valuable position where he could be a plus starter for the next 10 years. But if Tom can be what they believe he can be at center, it makes sense to start moving the wheels now.
