Tom Finally Has Time on His Side

Unlike past appearances at left tackle, Green Bay Packers rookie Zach Tom will get the full week to get ready for a presumptive start against the Los Angeles Rams.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Zach Tom played well at left tackle on no notice at Washington. He played well at left tackle when thrown into the action at Detroit. And he played well at left tackle two weeks ago at Chicago on two days’ notice.

With standout starter David Bakhtiari out indefinitely following an appendectomy, at least Tom will get the full week of work to get ready for Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

“That would definitely be nice to finally get to know about it before Friday,” Tom said with a smile. “It really won’t be any different because I get a bunch of reps there in practice at left tackle, anyway. At the end of the day, it’s be ready for anything at this point. That’s my mind-set.”

Without a bit of hyperbole, Tom has been a savior. A fourth-round pick in this year’s draft who was deemed a tweener – not quite long enough to play offensive tackle and not quite stout enough to play guard – Tom has been the football equivalent of a fire extinguisher. In case of emergency, break the glass and use Tom to put out the fire.

While offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, the team’s former offensive line coach, thought Tom’s best spot for the long run would be on the interior, most of the fires have been at left tackle because of Bakhtiari’s thrice-repaired knee.

Bakhtiari was set to start at Washington until he wasn’t. He was added to the injury report the day before the game and didn’t feel good following a pregame workout. Tom found out he was starting at almost the same time as everybody else. A couple weeks later, Bakhtiari missed most of the second half at Detroit. Again, it was Tom to the rescue. Two weeks ago, Bakhtiari had an appendectomy two days before the game at Chicago.

Tom has been excellent, and not just by the lowered standard of a midround rookie. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed one sack and five total pressures in 261 pass-protecting snaps in five games. According to PFF, 12 rookies have played at least 150 snaps at offensive tackle. Tom ranks No. 1 in its pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. He has not been penalized.

“Certainly not like a rookie,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Thursday when asked how Tom has handled the challenges. “He’s stepped in there and, you talk about not flinching in any moment, he’s done that. He’s stepped right in and feel like, for the most part, he’s played at a pretty high level. So, I’m excited about Zach and the flexibility that, again, another guy that can come in and play multiple positions. You can’t have enough guys like that.”

Bakhtiari didn’t practice on Tuesday or Thursday. LaFleur said he was “probably a longshot” to play against the Rams. Bakhtiari and quarterback Aaron Rodgers are close friends, and Bakhtiari has provided Hall of Fame-level blind-side protection. But the play of Tom has provided some comfort to Rodgers.

“I’ve got to give him credit because he’s had multiple games this year where 90 minutes before the game, ‘Hey, buddy, you’re in,’” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “And it’s crazy. I’ve never been a part of something like that during my career. I give him a lot of credit because he’s played both guard and tackle for us and stepped in and done a really nice job.

"He’s had a lot of one-on-ones and he’s done a really nice job for us. So, I have nothing but respect for him and his approach. Because that’s hard to do. You go all week, don’t take a lot of reps and ‘Oh, hey, you’re in there starting.’ A lot of credit goes to his approach.”

With that approach, Tom will be ready, just as he’s been ready every other week, but with a full week to get prepared.

“I think it’s just about preparation,” he said in explaining his success. “I prepare every week like I’m a starter so, whenever my number gets called, I’m ready to go out there and do my thing.”

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