We\u2019ve heard it throughout the Matt LaFleur era: Every spot on the roster is subject to competition from within. Every player must earn their spot and battle to keep it. It\u2019s hard to disagree with this embrace of open competition, but can it go too far?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where Zach Tom<\/a>\u2018s situation comes in to play.<\/p>\n By all accounts, Tom is a very, very good right tackle.\u00a0While Pro Football Focus isn\u2019t the be-all, end-all metric of success, Tom ranked fourth<\/a> among 140 qualified tackles in their ranking system in 2024. On top of that, Tom played over 98% of the snaps on offense for the Green Bay Packers and didn\u2019t miss a game.<\/p>\n Yet, when talking to the media recently, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich surprised just about everyone<\/a> when he mentioned an open competition for the starting gig at right tackle.<\/p>\n We\u2019re going to have a lot of competition there at both tackle positions with trying to find who our best five guys are.<\/p>\n Both?<\/p>\n Left tackle makes sense since LaFleur has already stated this offseason it will be an open competition between Rasheed Walker<\/a> and Jordan Morgan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Morgan was Green Bay\u2019s first-round selection in 2023. Whether you or I believe it\u2019s fair, the Packers will give him ample opportunity to win one of the starting spots. Walker has been a starter for the past two years, and he\u2019s entering a contract year as a former seventh-round pick.<\/p>\n Dose the Packers coaching staff with truth serum, and they\u2019ll admit they\u2019d prefer Morgan to win the gig.<\/p>\n Right tackle, though?<\/p>\n What\u2019s somewhat comical about it is that after last season, Tom called his own campaign a \u201cmixed bag,\u201d noting he thought there were moments he could have been better. This came after a season where he produced career highs from PFF in overall grade, pass-blocking grade, and run-blocking grade. All three were near the top of the league among tackles.<\/p>\n That\u2019s just a dude who\u2019s constantly trying to get better.<\/p>\n For Green Bay to air it out as an open competition might just be a bit reckless. Even when Stenavich mentioned the competition at both tackle spots, which caught many by surprise, he doubled down to ensure it wasn\u2019t viewed as a verbal slip-up.<\/p>\n However it shakes out \u2014 tackle, right tackle, obviously right guard \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of good competition. The guys we\u2019ve added, plus the guys getting older and getting more experience, it\u2019s going to be really interesting to see how this all shakes out.<\/p>\n It\u2019s one thing to note the open competition already announced at left tackle. It\u2019s perfectly fine to open the door at right guard, given Sean Rhyan<\/a> is in a contract year and Anthony Belton<\/a>, a tackle who could play guard, was drafted in the second round in April. Green Bay is opening up a whole other can of worms with its \u201ccompetition for everyone\u201d approach by mentioning right tackle.<\/p>\n The Packers shouldn\u2019t and don\u2019t coddle Tom. That\u2019s not the point.<\/p>\n Who actually believes Stenavich when he mentions a competition for the starting right tackle spot? Does anyone with a pulse believe Tom isn\u2019t the best option at right tackle for the Packers in 2025 \u2014 and that it\u2019s not even close?<\/p>\n If you\u2019re going to do this with Tom, why not announce\u00a0that Jordan Love<\/a> is in an open competition with Malik Willis<\/a> for the starting quarterback spot?<\/p>\n Again, competition is fine \u2014 it\u2019s great. However, indirectly signaling that Tom\u2019s job isn\u2019t safe feels lame.<\/p>\n Interestingly enough, Tom is also in a contract year, and most assumed he was in line for a hefty payday that would see him get near the top tier of tackles in the league. Now, who knows what the hell is going on?<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t like the Milwaukee Bucks saying Giannis will have to compete for his starting spot on the team. Instead, envision Brewers manager Pat Murphy saying during spring training that Freddy Peralta will have competition to stay in the starting rotation.<\/p>\n Milwaukee has pieced together a rotation with an abundance of random names, Triple-A arms, and rookies over the past two years. Peralta has been the one constant.<\/p>\n A competition to stay in the rotation? A competition for Tom to earn his starting spot at right tackle?<\/p>\n We\u2019ll take \u201cUnnecessary Motivational Tactics\u201d for $200, Alex.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t take our word for it, though.<\/p>\n Will Anderson<\/a> is a budding star for the Houston Texans. In February, someone asked him<\/a>\u00a0who he thought was the best offensive lineman in football.<\/p>\n His answer? Zach Tom.<\/p>\n He\u2019s legit. He\u2019s a quick setter. He punches really quick. And he has a really good step off the ball. A good kick off the ball. He\u2019s good. He\u2019s more on the leaner side. Quick feet. Explosive hands. Can get back really well. I would say he\u2019s up there.<\/p>\n By all means, though, keep smashing the competition-for-all button.<\/p>\n Tom doesn\u2019t need the Packers to roll out a red carpet to confirm his spot on the roster. It just feels forced to suggest he\u2019s in some sort of competition, and Green Bay could tick off the wrong player at some point by doing it to motivate him.<\/p>\n