Offensive tackle is one of the most valuable positions in football. For some, it comes right after the quarterback, exactly because the tackle is the main responsible for protecting the passer. And the NFL market is reinforcing how valuable they are. On Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a five-year, $140.63 million extension with Tristan Wirfs , making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league.
Previously, Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell and Minnesota Vikings' Christian Darrisaw had signed big-time extensions as well.
And don't get me wrong, each of these players are worth every penny. They greatly impact the game and are extremely good long-term pieces for their teams. But the reality of the market shows a big advantage the Green Bay Packers have.
Picks and more picks
Nobody has had more draft picks over the last three years than the Green Bay Packers. And for Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, investing in the offensive line through the draft is paramount. Over the last four classes, he has taken three of them in each of the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024 classes — 2023 was the exception, the only year in which Gutekunst didn't take a single offensive lineman since he took over as a GM in 2018.
That approach has now brought a huge surplus value for the Packers. The only expensive piece of the line right now is left guard Elgton Jenkins, making $17 million per season.
The tackles are both day 3 picks, and both have played at a really good level. Right tackle Zach Tom, a former fourth-round pick , is an ascending star — and you could see his impact when he left the game against the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs and the offense stalled.
Meanwhile, left tackle Rasheed Walker is a seventh-round pick. He took over when David Bakhtiari got injured again last season and finished the year with a strong performance. Walker was second in pass block win rate, right after Trent Williams.
"I think Sheed has kinda solidified himself over there and is continuing to make a name for himself," quarterback Jordan Love said of Walker. "He stepped up big time last year. Sheed's a very talented player. He shows crazy flashes all the time, but just that consistency we gotta keep building upon. His mindset is, he's a dog and he's trying to go out there and just prove himself every day."
Money impact
Entering the third season of their NFL careers, Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker make a combined $1.97 million in cash, with a $2.116 million cap hit. You read it right. They both combine for that amount. Each one will make $985k in salary in 2024. It's an incredible value, and even though they might not be elite pieces (at least yet), the cost-benefit is outstanding.
That's the best way to compensate for the Packers' spending elsewhere. With the highest-paid quarterback in football in Jordan Love and high-priced defenders in edge defender Rashan Gary, defensive tackle Kenny Clark, cornerback Jaire Alexander, and safety Xavier McKinney, putting together an inexpensive and still above average offensive line is huge.
Eventually, that will change. The Packers will have to pay Zach Tom and maybe Walker, and they will already be eligible for extensions next offseason. At the same time, Gutekunst made sure to add more cheap pieces — the best example is first-round rookie Jordan Morgan, who has a real shot to start at right guard from the get go.
Teams are right to pay a huge amount to elite offensive tackles. But the Packers are still taking advantage of their highly effective system to draft and develop late picks, and the payoff in 2024 can be exactly what this roster needs to go over the hump.
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