Who's Next In Line For An Extension Now That Zach Tom Re-Signed?

Now that Zach Tom received a well-earned four-year extension with a historic $30.2 million signing bonus, the Green Bay Packers can pivot to who is next in line. Of the list of players with one year left on their contract, who will that be?

The best guess is a polarizing answer: Quay Walker.

A former first-round pick out of Georgia in 2022, Walker hasn't quite lived up to his billing. His inconsistent play and occasional look of being overwhelmed on the field have led many fans and analysts to conclude that he doesn’t merit a long-term extension.

The counterpoint of those in favor of the extension is that a lightbulb seemed to turn on above Walker’s head in the middle of the 2024 season. In one five-game stretch starting in early November, he looked the part of a first-round pick, piling up five tackles for loss, a sack, and 50 total tackles.

Walker was diagnosing plays with much more confidence and ease. Sometimes it just takes players a bit longer than others, but Walker started to look like he was putting everything together. An ankle injury against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 derailed that momentum, and Walker missed the remaining three games of the regular season.

With fans waging a tug-of-war with their opinions on Walker, general manager Brian Gutekunst

Earlier in the offseason, the Packers opted to exercise the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt but didn't do the same for Walker. It led many to ponder whether the team’s stance on Walker had changed.

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Gutekunst hasn't exactly played his cards close to his vest when it comes to Walker, and that's just fine. He hasn't been as blunt or direct when discussing many of the other players who are also on the last leg of their rookie contracts in 2025. Put all those pieces together, and Walker likely could be next in line now that Tom has his extension in place.

One thing the Packers didn’t lean into nearly enough in 2024 was an Edgerrin Cooper-Quay Walker combo at inside linebacker. That should change in 2025. Cooper became a monster as the Packers gave him an increasingly large number of snaps throughout the season. He possesses that "it" factor that could lead him to superstar status. Giving Walker that kind of sidekick will make Walker's life easier, and it could also unlock new levels to Cooper’s game.

There is a risk in giving Walker an extension based on still-incomplete evidence. The sample size of five games in 2024, where Walker shined, is promising. Still, it's not impossible to believe he got hot and stayed on a heater, as many athletes do before reverting to their established standard.

For the record, Walker isn't a bad linebacker by any stretch of the imagination. It’s more a question of whether or not he’s lived up to his No. 22-overall draft status.

By all accounts, Gutekunst seems motivated to get a deal done with Walker, and Walker isn’t going to break the bank. We also still don't know what it will look like with Cooper and Walker playing alongside each other for an entire season. What if it turns out to be the perfect fit?

It’s also noteworthy that Gutekunst hasn’t publicly confirmed extension talks are taking place with wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson, who, like Walker, are entering the final year of their rookie contracts. The same goes for offensive linemen Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan. But we have heard directly from Gutekunst, on more than one occasion this offseason, that the Packers want to keep Walker in Green Bay for the long haul.

It might not be popular with everybody, but Walker is the most likely to be next in line for an extension.