or David Bakhtiari, a free agent offensive lineman, will not play for the Green Bay Packers for the first time in his illustrious career. Selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Colorado native quickly exceeded his draft value and become one of the league’s finest players. Bakhtiari, a two-time First-Team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl pick, was once considered the NFL’s best offensive tackle.
Sadly, things change swiftly in the NFL, and the legend of the Packers has not had a good few years. Bakhtiari’s injury that ended the 2020 season has prevented him from playing consistently. Just 13 games have the offensive tackle appeared in.
David Bakhtiari might want to play in 2024, but it’s hard to see any team giving him any type of guaranteed money as a free agent. At the end of the day, the best ability is availability, and the offensive tackle simply hasn’t found a way to stay on the field. Since 2020, the Colorado product has undergone five surgeries on the same knee, and it’s highly unlikely that this latest rehab session will permanently fix the issue.
However, it’s worth noting that the injuries have not affected Bakhtiari’s on-field ability. The left tackle started 11 games in 2022, and he finished the season with a strong 79.8 PFF grade, the 12th-best mark out of 81 eligible players. There are not enough good tackles to go around, and if this type of performance is in his range of outcomes, somebody is going to take a risk on him. Assuming David Bakhtiari can pass a physical, the following five teams might consider giving the free agent an incentive-laden contract.
With news that Mike Onwenu is going to play right tackle for the Patriots, New England only has one glaring flaw on their offensive line. With Trent Brown on the way out, somebody is going to have to play left tackle for this team. After missing out on all the top free agent options, the Patriots might have no choice but to pivot to David Bakhtiari. New England will probably draft a tackle in the second or third round, but in case that player isn’t ready, Bakhtiari can handle starting duties for as long as he’s healthy.
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