Getty A Green Bay Packers rookie is stepping up for an injured David Bakhtiari at left tackle.
The Green Bay Packers suffered an unfortunate setback to their offensive line heading into Week 7 against the Washington Commanders. However, that setback gave one Packers rookie an opportunity to prove himself on Sunday, October 23.
Shortly before kickoff against the Commanders, the Packers announced that All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari would be inactive after being a last-minute addition to the injury report with his lingering injury. While the expectation was that Yosh Nijman would go back to playing left tackle, the Packers made a surprising change.
Prior to kickoff, Matt Schneidman with The Athletic reported that rookie Zach Tom was warming up at left tackle, with Elgton Jenkins moving from right tackle to left guard and Nijan taking over at right tackle.
Packers starting O-line in warmups:
LT: Zach Tom
LG: Elgton Jenkins
C: Josh Myers
RG: Jon Runyan Jr.
RT: Yosh Nijman
Buckle up.
The move means that the struggling second-year guard Royce Newman is benched, which is something that fans had been calling for following another brutal performance against the New York Jets. Now, it’s a chance for the rookie Tom to see how he can hold up at such an important position.
Who is Packers Rookie Zach Tom?
He may not be a household name yet, but Zach Tom has an opportunity to be the next long-term offensive lineman in Green Bay.
Tom wasn’t a huge name coming out of high school in Louisiana, with 247Sports having him as just a 2-star recruit. His offers included mostly schools in the South and in-state, but Tom decided to move away a bit further, enrolling to play for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
During his time at Wake Forest, Tom held his own at multiple positions, including center and left tackle. That versatility is something that the Packers love in their offensive lineman prospects, which is why they took him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Because he was a Day 3 pick, Tom wasn’t initially expected to get playing time right away. However, after a strong preseason and an injury to Jon Runyan Jr. in the season opener, Tom found himself playing left guard in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings.
That was the only playing time that Tom saw, however, until Week 7 against the Commanders. While he played left tackle instead of guard, it was another opportunity for Tom to put his versatility on display against a solid defensive front.
Where are the Other Packers Rookie O-Linemen?
Tom was put in a great position to prove himself, but Packers fans are still curious to see the other draft picks on the offensive line.
Sean Rhyan was a third-round pick after a strong career at UCLA. While he could have been an intriguing right tackle in Green Bay, the rookie has rarely even dressed for games, being listed as a healthy inactive more often than not.
Seventh-round pick Rasheed Walker is also hoping for an opportunity at some point. He has a massive frame at 6’6″ and 324 pounds, but struggled with lateral agility at the college level, and was exposed at times against more intimidating pass rushers.
As of right now, it appears that both Rhyan and Walker are developmental projects for the time being, while Tom will have an opportunity to earn a starting job, or at least a preferred backup, with a strong Week 7 performance.