Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed Tuesday that offensive lineman Zach Tom had surgery to repair his knee this offseason, but the team is confident he'll be "ready to roll" for the 2026 season.
Tom, the team's starter at right tackle, partially tore his patellar tendon during the Packers' loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 14. He attempted to return by the end of the 2025 season but couldn't, and he opted for surgery to correct the issue this offseason.
“Yeah, he did (have the surgery), and he’s doing well,” Gutekunst said from Green Bay on Tuesday. “Zach's a good player, a very experienced player. I felt we were very adequate there when (Darian) Kinnard stepped in, and we have a number of bodies that can go play tackle. But whenever you lose guys like Zach Tom, you have to adjust, and I thought we did a nice job of doing that. Fortunately for him, he’ll be ready to roll as we get going. I give him a lot of credit, man, he fought his tail off to try to finish it out, and I’m very appreciative of that.”
It's unclear if "ready to roll as we get going" means Tom will be able to participate at some point during the offseason workout program, which opened Monday, or if the Packers are aiming for a return during training camp, which opens in late July. The timetable for a patellar tendon repair is usually stated in months, not weeks, but a partial repair might have shortened the recovery timetable.
Tom is one of the best all-around right tackles in football, earning All-Pro votes each of the last two seasons. But a lack of continuity along the offensive line, which began early in the season when Tom injured his oblique in Week 1, hurt the Packers up front, and the offensive line labored through one of its most disappointing seasons under Matt LaFleur.
Getting healthy is the first order of business, with Tom the most important piece of the puzzle.
When healthy, Tom will rejoin an offensive line expected to start Jordan Morgan at left tackle, Aaron Banks at left guard, Sean Rhyan at center and Anthony Belton at right guard. Rasheed Walker and Elgton Jenkins departed this offseason, but Gutekunst said he likes his expected starting five and is happy with the current depth behind them -- although the Packers are always looking to build out the offensive line room via the draft.
"I feel really good about our whole group, and the competition in that room," Gutekunst said. "We’re always going to look to add to the offensive line. There are only so many big guys in the world that can play at a high level. But I feel good about it.”
Tom, a fourth-round pick in 2022, signed a four-year, $88 million contract extension with the Packers last July. The deal ties him to Green Bay through the 2029 season.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers GM: Zach Tom will be 'ready to roll' after offseason knee surgery