At this point, we know that an NFL breakup with David Bakhtiari is almost certainly in the cards for the Packers. There is a chance that his contract could be reworked in such a way that he can stick around in a Green Bay uniform, and his veteran presence would be welcome on a team that has clearly lacked a strong, experienced voice once his knee problems re-emerged after Week 1.
Since he first tore his ACL in December 2020, Bakhtiari has been unable to stay on the field. He has been excellent when he plays—he is still among the top left tackles in the game—but he has played just 13 games in three seasons. And he’s 32, the oldest guy on a Packers team in the midst of a youth movement.
Thus, Bleacher Report is calling for Bakhtiari to be one of three Packers who “must” be cut in 2024.
“The NFL is a business and the Packers really can’t go forward without at least restructuring the tackle’s contract. Even that would need to involve a pay cut to offset the potential savings of either trading or releasing him this offseason,” B/R’s Alex Ballentine wrote this week.
Cutting David Bakhtiari Saves Packers Money
Certainly, the finances do not lean in the favor of keeping Bakhtiari around. It is a tough pill to swallow, to pay a player to not play for you, but that’s likely what Green Bay would have to do, barring a major restructure of Bakhtiari’s contract—one that he has little incentive to accept.
“David Bakhtiari is set to account for a $40.5 million cap hit next season,” Ballentine wrote. “If the team were to release him they would only be on the hook for about $19.1 million of that in the form of a dead cap charge, per Spotrac.”
That is true, and it is the reason why many assume Bakhtiari will be let go. He can take his Packers money and sign a small deal elsewhere. But Ballentine makes some assumptions that could be questioned when it comes to Bakhtiari. Most notable is that he is not the same player he was when he is on the field.
“Unfortunately, injuries have likely shortened Bakhtiari’s career and have definitely impacted his play as he ages into his 30s. The 32-year-old was placed on injured reserve with another knee injury after playing just one game this season,” he wrote. “When healthy, Bakhtiari has been serviceable, but he’s just not reliable enough to keep around.”
The Grades Show He Can Still Play
Yes, Bakhtiari has not been reliable, but when he has played, he has been the same old David Bakhtiari, and remained among the best left tackles in the game. In Week 1 against Chicago, he had an excellent grade at Pro Football Focus of 78.3, with an outstanding grade in pass blocking, 89.9.
It has been noted that Bakhtiari wants to play again, that even after he recovers from his fifth knee operation in three years, he wants to be in the NFL. And we should not assume that he would not want to be a Packer again.
Remember, before the season, few were as hyped for this team as Bakhtiari.
Here’s what he told The Athletic: “Defensively, I love the pieces that are there, and I don’t think anyone’s perfect, but we got some f***ing solid pieces. … I’d like to see that we have a young team that no one knows s*** about that everyone counts out and that’s great, but a relentless young team that’s gonna beat you to a f***ing pulp and not quit because they’re just too young to f***ing know any better. That’s what I would like to see. That’s a winning recipe for a young team.”
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Packers ‘Must’ Cut David Bakhtiari for $19 Million Reason: Analyst