Green Bay Packers Expected To Cut Long Time Starter (Breaking)

The Green Bay Packers are going through a franchise-altering off-season. The pending Aaron Rodgers trade will hand the keys to Jordan Love as the team’s starting quarterback. It will be the first time in over three decades that someone not named Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers will start week one. When that trade happens, it may lay the groundwork for more big moves to come both this off-season and next. One of those big moves will likely be moving on from a long time starter in Green Bay.

Green Bay Packers Expected To Move On From Left Tackle David Bakhtiari In 2024

Oct 2, 2022; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (69) walks off the field after defeating the New England Patriots in overtime at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Samantha Madar/Green Bay Press Gazette-USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

According to Dane Brugler with The Athletic:

Keeping first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love upright and healthy is paramount, after all,” Schneidman said. “And perhaps Skoronski is Bakhtiari’s successor at left tackle, where he started 33 games at Northwestern.

The Packers will return their top seven offensive linemen from one of the best offensive lines in football, so they don’t need to add to the unit this early. But head coach Matt LaFleur has always preached starting the best five on the offensive line, and that group could include Skoronski at center, right guard or right tackle, with some combination of Josh Myers, Jon Runyan Jr., Yosh Nijman and Zach Tom at the other two spots and David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins on the left side.

Keeping first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love upright and healthy is paramount, after all. And perhaps Skoronski is Bakhtiari’s successor at left tackle, where he started 33 games at Northwestern. Cutting Bakhtiari after this coming season, when he’ll be 32, would free up $21.5 million in salary cap space for the Packers.

I’ve known @PSkoronski since he was 4 years old and can tell you he has everything it takes to be one of the best players in the National Football League, including a lineage that traces back to the Lombardi dynasty. My story on the Northwestern standout. https://t.co/0m9C0W6A2n pic.twitter.com/chAmskrWUd

Not only could the Green Bay Packers move on from Bakhtiari next year, they could possibly draft his replacement this year. However, even if that isn’t the case, the Packers could already have his replacement in-house. David DeChant of The Athletic recently published an article that stated tackle Yosh Nijman is primed to cash in on his value next off-season at an annual contract number upwards of $20 million.

“Nijman is far from a household name, but he’s played left tackle (782 snaps) and right tackle (528) since 2020 at an above-average level. Those guys get paid, and paid big,” DeChant wrote. “He’s been best on the left, allowing three sacks and a 2.94 percent pressure rate, compared to five [sacks] and 4.36 [percent rate], respectively, on the right. A restricted free agent this offseason, Nijman received the second-round tender (worth $4.3 million) from the Packers. He could push for $17 million or more annually on his next deal.”

Nijman joined the Packers in 2019 as an un-drafted free agent out of Virginia Tech. He didn’t see a regular season snap until the 2020 season. That year he appeared in all 16 games for the Green Bay Packers but never earned a start.

His reliability continued over the next two years, as Nijman played in all 17 games both seasons. He started eight games in 2021 and 13 games in 2022. He is currently slotted as the starter at right tackle opposite Bakhtiari heading into the upcoming season. Nijman’s versatility makes him a valuable asset to the Green Bay Packers offense even despite his status as at least one rung below elite at the tackle position.

Either way the writing seems to be on the wall that this could very well be #69’s last year with the Green Bay Packers.

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