The Green Bay Packers barely had Zach Tom back before losing him again. His Week 3 return lasted just one snap. On the Packers’ first offensive play at Huntington Bank Stadium, Tom aggravated the same oblique injury that sidelined him in Week 2. The right tackle went down while trying to hold off Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett on a Jordan Love completion to rookie receiver Matthew Golden.

Now, a medical update has clarified what Green Bay is dealing with. An NFL doctor explained the severity and recovery window for this type of injury, particularly for linemen: “The issue with oblique injuries, especially in linemen, is that the oblique muscle is attached to the rib and is responsible for stability and lateral rotation of the core. As much force as these guys generate, often the oblique strains and sometimes can even pull off the bone (grade 3), when they are ‘fighting in the trenches.’”

That’s what makes the situation so tricky. Oblique injuries are difficult to recover from. “Often times these take about 2 to 4 weeks for a grade 1 or grade 2 to fully heal. Grade 3 often require either stem cells placed very carefully under ultrasound, or surgery. Missing a couple weeks would be smart to prevent reinjury & worsening,” the doctor added.

The Packers have yet to announce an official timetable, but the medical consensus suggests Tom could miss at least a couple of weeks if the strain is mild. For now, protecting him from a long-term setback may outweigh rushing him back onto the field. Without Tom holding down the edge, over the first three weeks, the Packers have leaned on 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan, 2025 second-rounder Anthony Belton, and ex-Eagle Darian Kinnard to cover snaps at right tackle.

In Cleveland, Morgan got the first crack at the job, but when left guard Aaron Banks went down with a groin injury, he slid inside, forcing more adjustments. Belton had already been called on as the starter at right tackle in Week 2. Who lines up in Tom’s spot against Dallas will come down to practice reps this week. Fortunately, Green Bay has its bye in Week 5, which should give Tom an extra two weeks of recovery time before a potential return in Week 6 against Cincinnati.

Zach Tom injury forces packers to shuffle offensive line

Tom’s absence is a major blow. A fourth-round pick in 2022, he’s been a model of consistency, starting all 34 regular-season games over the past two years. His importance to the line was underscored this summer when the Packers locked him in with a four-year, $88 million extension. Adding to the uncertainty, reports surfaced Tuesday that Green Bay is preparing a roster move that could signal bad news for Tom’s availability moving forward.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Green Bay is promoting offensive tackle Brant Banks from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. The undrafted rookie move isn’t just about development—it looks like an insurance policy with Zach Tom’s status in question.

Head coach Matt LaFleur downplayed the idea of a setback but admitted the matchup speed and power made it impossible for Tom to push through. “It’s always hard to simulate what you’re going to face in a game,” LaFleur said Monday. “I think that the force of the guy that he’s going against, it hurt him. He didn’t feel like he could go.”

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The Packers’ offensive line concerns don’t stop there. Left guard Aaron Banks aggravated a groin injury against the Browns, leaving the game early after already missing one earlier this year. Jordan Morgan slid inside to cover Banks after starting at right tackle, while Anthony Belton handled snaps on the edge the rest of the way. Still, the fact Green Bay is adding another tackle to the mix is telling—it suggests the coaching staff isn’t banking on Tom returning right away.