In the race to become the Green Bay Packers starting right tackle in 2023, second-year offensive lineman Zach Tom entered the first turn in the lead.
According to Paul Bretl of Packers Wire, Tom handled the majority of the first-team reps at right tackle during the team’s first training camp practice on Wednesday.
The starting offensive line, from left to right, to open camp: David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan Jr. and Tom.
Yosh Nijman, Tom’s top competition for the job, took snaps at left tackle and right tackle.
It’s possible Matt LaFleur and the Packers will go back-and-forth between Tom and Nijman depending on the day in an effort to find the best starting option at right tackle during training camp. What’s Tom’s job on Wednesday could be Nijman’s on Thursday, and so on. But Tom’s open as the starter at right tackle is notable given the fact that the two rotated throughout the offseason workout program.
Tom, a five-position player, arrived in Green Bay as a fourth-round pick last season. He played snaps at left tackle, left guard, right guard and right tackle as a rookie and proved highly capable as a pass-blocker, allowing just 12 total pressures over 489 total snaps, per PFF.
With Bakhtiari healthy, Jenkins moving back to left guard full-time and Myers and Runyan returning as starters, Tom’s best chance to crack the Packers starting line up is at right tackle, an important position. In Bakhtiari and Tom, Jordan Love could have two excellent pass-blocking tackles on the edges as a first-year starter.
The battle at right tackle might be the Packers’ most important of training camp. While general manager Brian Gutekunst brought Nijman back on the second-round restricted tender (worth over $4 million in 2023), it was Tom who opened camp as the early favorite to start. Can Nijman, who made 21 starts over the last two seasons, put up a challenge during camp, or will his primary role for the 2023 Packers be as the backup swing tackle?