It was certainly a difficult decision for the Green Bay Packers to move on from long-time left tackle David Bahktiari this offseason. Bakhtiari has been with the team since being selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Colorado, spending his first 11 seasons in the NFL with the team.
However, the decision to move on had to be made for salary cap reasons. By releasing Bakhtiari, the Packers saved $20 million on the salary cap, a no-brainer decision given how little they have been able to count on him in recent seasons.
At one point in his career, Bakhtiari was one of the most dominant left tackles in the NFL. He made an All-Pro or Pro Bowl team for five straight seasons from 2016-2020, but that is when knee injuries began derailing his career.
Bakhtiari has had four procedures on his knee, playing in only 13 games the last two seasons. He played a single game in 2021 and 2023 with 11 games played in 2022. When on the field he remained a productive player in the trenches for the Packers, he just wasn’t able to be in the lineup as often as anyone would have liked.
Turning 33 during the 2024 season, some people are wondering whether or not Bakhtiari would retire after the Packers released him. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, that isn’t something Bakhtiari is considering.
Rapoport shared that Bakhatiari is planning to play in 2024. He has been rehabbing diligently and is focused on making a return to the field this season. Who that return will be with, is anyone’s guess at this time as no teams have been linked to him as a suitor.
One popular destination that has been discussed is the New York Jets , where Bakhtiari could block for Aaron Rodgers again after spending 10 seasons together in Green Bay. The Jets do need offensive line help, but after dealing with so many injuries in recent seasons, it would be hard to envision them trusting Bahktiari as their unquestioned starter.
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