Packers RT Zach Tom’s Health Takes Significant Turn

After Sunday’s game against the Bengals, Green Bay Packers right tackle Zach Tom’s body was filled with agony and fatigue.

After Friday’s practice, two days before the Packers are set to play at the Arizona Cardinals, Tom sat casually at his locker with a smile.

“I feel good,” he said.

Really?

“Yeah. I feel good.”

It was a night-and-day difference compared to Sunday, when he said he “didn’t feel great” and chose not to answer questions about his level of pain and whether he should have played at all as he recovered from a Week 1 oblique injury.

“I think – I don’t want to speak too soon – but I feel like I’m ready to go,” Tom said on Friday.

Tom was injured during the Week 1 game against Detroit. He was inactive on a short week against Washington, then tried to play in Week 3 at Cleveland but made it through only one snap. After being inactive at Dallas and getting the bye, Tom thought he was mostly past the injury at this time last week.

Tom played every snap against the Bengals but wasn’t happy with how he played or how he felt.

Fast forward to Friday, Tom was feeling a sense of relief.

“Yeah, really the biggest thing is just getting back into the rhythm of everything and getting back into shape, because that was definitely one of the battles I was fighting on Sunday – just gassed,” he said.

“I know I got quoted saying that I couldn’t remember sh** because of the pain. I think that got misquoted. I didn’t say anything about the pain causing me to forget sh**. I just didn’t remember sh** because (laughs) it was kind of just one of those games. I feel like I’m ready to go this week.”

Speaking of sh**, that’s how Tom categorized his play against the Bengals. That’s the high standard he holds himself. Playing all 61 snaps, Tom allowed one pressure, according to Pro Football Focus, and helped fuel the best rushing attack of the season.

So, that doesn’t seem too bad.

“There were a couple bad plays, just being lazy with my technique,” he said. “As an offensive lineman, those couple bad plays … I’ve just got to clean that up and get better week by week.”

Tom is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. Last season, he earned the third-most All-Pro votes at right tackle behind the Lions’ Penei Sewell and the Eagles’ Lane Johnson. The Packers rewarded him with a blockbuster contract extension.

He had played only 31 snaps this season before gutting it out against the Bengals.

“He’s definitely an important piece,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “He got through it, so that was a positive. Just like any guy that’s battling through some stuff, you’re always going to be smart with them and just make sure you’re doing whatever you can to get them ready for game day.

“So, we’re just going to see how the week goes, keep repping him, keep working him in walk-throughs and things like that just to make sure he’s getting those mental reps, and then he’ll go out there and take the reps that he needs to get ready for Sunday.”

Tom didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday and Friday.

“I think each game you play, you’re just going to get in better shape,” Stenavich said. “Hopefully, we get over the hump with this thing and he can take some more reps in practice and then put that all behind us.”

Against the Cardinals, he’ll face multiple pass rushers. The top player on the unit is Josh Sweat, who is tied for sixth in the league with five sacks. Sweat splits his time between the left and right side, meaning he’ll go against Tom as well as left tackle Rasheed Walker. Tom also will face Baron Browning (two sacks this year), former first-round pick Zaven Collins (zero sacks this year but five last year) and rookie third-round pick Jordan Burch (zero sacks this year but 11 last year at Oregon). 

Asked about Sweat, who helped the Eagles win last year’s Super Bowl with 2.5 sacks against the Chiefs, Tom said: He’s got a good stride length. He’s got good length overall. He’s strong, sets a good edge in the run game, covers a lot of ground, has good get-off. Every week, it’s going to be a different challenge and he’s obviously a really good player.”