GREEN BAY, Wis. — A month in the past, Zach Tom didn’t wish to talk about whether or not he would insist on a brand new contract with the Inexperienced Bay Packers earlier than the beginning of this season. He does not must entertain that chance anymore.
The fourth-year proper sort out agreed to a four-year, $88 million contract extension on Monday, sources instructed ESPN. The deal additionally features a $30.2 million signing bonus that’s believed to be the most important ever for an offensive lineman. The Washington Commanders’ Laremy Tunsil obtained the earlier highest signing bonus for an offensive lineman at $30 million.
Negotiations wrapped up in the future earlier than Packers veteran gamers had been scheduled to report for coaching camp. This after Tom took half in your complete offseason exercise program reasonably than selecting to attend till a brand new deal might get completed.
“I do not actually suppose it’s going to do me any good to take a seat out,” Tom stated final month. “I am attempting to not fear concerning the contract state of affairs. I am simply attempting to do what’s greatest for the staff. And being right here with the fellows, I believe that is price much more than — the contract state of affairs will handle itself. So, I am simply right here working and grinding with the fellows. If I wasn’t right here, I would in all probability be someplace simply not doing something, I do not know. So, yeah, I wish to be right here clearly.”
The Packers are going by some shuffling on the offensive line, and there was a chance that Tom could possibly be moved. Nonetheless, this deal ensures he’ll stay at sort out.
Final season, Tom completed third within the All-Professional voting amongst proper tackles behind the Detroit Lions’ Penei Sewell and Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson.
“I believe he can play any place,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur stated final month. “So it simply occurred to be that he type of discovered his house at proper sort out, however I believe his versatility is without doubt one of the issues that makes him particular. I believe he can play all 5, and there is not loads of guys that may do this, however I might say that he is acquired the athleticism. I believe he is a really clever soccer participant, and he is performed fairly constant over the course of the previous few years.”
Tom, a fourth-round choose in 2022, has began each recreation in every of the final two seasons and 39 begins general in his first three seasons. He has began 34 video games at proper sort out, 4 at left sort out and one at left guard.
There’s anticipated to be a contest for the left sort out spot between incumbent Rasheed Walker and 2024 first-round choose Jordan Morgan.
Among the many adjustments on the offensive line embrace Elgton Jenkins shifting from left guard to heart to make room totally free agent signing Aaron Banks to play left guard. Jenkins, who has been positioned on the non-football damage checklist, skipped many of the offseason program as a result of he desires his contract adjusted though he has two extra years remaining.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler contributed to this report.