Packers Predicted to Make Move With Former 1st Round Pick After Zach Tom Extension

The Green Bay Packers locked in offensive tackle Zach Tom. But some Packers fans are already looking into their next long-term deal.

Quay Walker, a linebacker and 2022 first-round pick from Green Bay, was predicted to land the next major contract extension.

Tom signed a four-year contract worth $88 million with the Packers — that could climb as high as $92 million. Tom’s deal was the first of the team’s draft picks from that season to get a second contract.

Walker has 341 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 44 NFL games with the Packers yet is slated to enter the last year of his rookie contract and could be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season.

Why Is Quay Walker Predicted To Get A Contract Extension?

The Packers declined Walker’s fifth-year option, which made waves among Packers fans, since he has started 43 games over his first three seasons.

Yet, according to general manager Brian Gutekunst, the Packers’ decision not to exercise Walker’s final year was about locking Walker down long-term while keeping him in at a sensible cap hit.

Passing on his option saved Green Bay a potentially crippling cap hit. The blog Cheesehead TV estimated his fifth-year option cap hit would be in the $15 million range, where an extension could keep him in the $8-$10 million neighborhood — though a huge year for Walker could drive up the cost more.

“My expectations are really, really high [for Walker],” Gutekunst told Cheesehead TV. “The only reason we didn’t do the fifth-year option is a lot of the outside linebackers are calculated into that number, so it didn’t make a lot of sense. We’re going down that road with him [to negotiate an extension], as well to see if we can make that happen as well.”

Walker was the 22nd pick of the Packers in 2022, and he finished with a career-high nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 2024. Gutekunst spoke highly of Walker’s continued development and his future in Green Bay.

“We’ve been bullish on Quay since he got here,” Gutekunst said. “He’s played a lot of really, really good football for us, and we think his best football is still in front of him. Just a consummate pro, does everything the right way. Has a level of toughness and focus that our defense needs.”

What Do The Packers Expect For Quay Walker in 2025?

The 2025 season is poised to be a huge one for Walker, especially with his pending free agency. Walker is opening the season on the team’s physically unable to perform list, an inauspicious start to such an integral year.

Still, as Gutekunst referenced, he isn’t worried about Walker’s season. He also is excited to pair Walker with second-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who had 87 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, 13 tackles for loss in 14 games and four starts last year.

“Really having those two guys on the field at the same time, the athleticism and size that brings, the ability to rush the passer, the ability to cover,” Gutekunst said. “I think those two guys are going to work well off each other as we move forward.”