The Green Bay Packers have had a number of “what if” moments throughout their history, especially in recent seasons. One of the biggest “what if” questions that fans still ask is “What if David Bakhtiari had never gotten hurt?” The five-time All-Pro left tackle, as fans know, tore his ACL during practice on December 31, 2020, effectively ending his year for the team’s run in the NFL Playoffs and the 2021 season (except for a few snaps in the last game of the year).
There are a fair number of fans who believe that Green Bay may have won the 2020 NFC Championship Game had Bakhtiari not gotten hurt. Unfortunately, it was not just the 2020 NFL Playoffs and 2021 season that Bakhtiari missed. Complications from his initial surgery required more procedures and limited him to just 13 games over the past three seasons. 11 of these came during the 2022 season where he was given regular weeks off in an effort to preserve his knee.
Former Green Bay Packers Left Tackle David Bakhtiari Missed Most of the 2023 NFL Season as Well
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Heading into the 2023 season, it was assumed by many that Bakhtiari was playing his final season for the Packers, whether he remained healthy or not. 2024 was going to bring a $40 million cap hit, a price that Green Bay was probably not going to be willing to pay.
The three-time Pro Bowl left tackle started Week One against the Chicago Bears and looked like he was in his prime. He famously flipped off Bears fans when lining up for a snap and then laid down on the sideline to pose for photographers and have more fun with fans.
He played so well that many started to think the Packers might want to think about a contract restructure in order to keep him around. Unfortunately, those thoughts were soon dashed as news came that he had reinjured his knee and would be out for the season.
Over the years, Bakhtiari has received a great deal of senseless and needless hate from keyboard warriors online. He always did everything the doctors and training staff told him to do. It was not his fault that his knee kept getting hurt, or that the original surgery was not performed as well as it should have been.
Regardless, the Packers made the decision to move on from Bakhtiari after the 2023 season ended. Rasheed Walker, who started at left tackle for the rest of the year last season, is battling 2024 first round pick Jordan Morgan for the opportunity to take his place as the long-time blindside protector.
Former Green Bay Packers Left Tackle David Bakhtiari Discusses a Possible Reunion with Aaron Rodgers
Packers 2018 35
When the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets prior to the 2023 season, there were many who believed that Bakhtiari would eventually join him. After all, the two are great friends off the field. Rodgers even officiated Bakhtiari’s wedding.
A reunion as teammates, though, does not seem to be in the cards. On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported:
“Although Bakhtiari wants to continue his career, he doesn’t expect that to mean a reunion with Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love, the past two quarterbacks he has protected.
“He noted that Rodgers’ New York Jets selected left tackle Olu Fashanu in the first round, signed All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith in free agency and traded for right tackle Morgan Moses. And if the Packers ‘wanted me to protect Jordan, they wouldn’t have fired me.'”
Bakhtiari had been a guest on Schefter’s podcast, where he discussed his desire to play again and revealed that his recovery is going well.
As for Rodgers, his old friend also said that he thinks the future Hall of Famer will lead the Jets to the playoffs this season. And as for Love: “He’s growing and ascending in this league, and I think he’s going to be a really good quarterback.”
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