David Bakhtiari Goes Off on Packers Staff Member Over Social Media Video

The Green Bay Packers social media team didn’t have the kind of outpouring of support that other NFL teams had with their schedule release videos, and All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari wasn’t afraid to call them out for it.

The Tennessee Titans asked fans on Broadway in Nashville to guess the names of their opponents based solely on being shown an image of their logos, and the Los Angeles Chargers had an anime-style video. The Packers took a fairly bland infomercial-like approach.

Following the team’s announcement on Thursday, May 11, Bakhtiari tweeted directly at Packers VP of Communications Jason Wahlers, asking if he’d signed off on the video. When Wahlers replied, tweeting “Depends on if you like it or not,” Bakhtiari didn’t hold back with his thoughts.

“It’s booty cheeks!” Bakhtiari tweeted. “I could’ve asked an aspiring TikTok creator that’s still in high school to create something better. Did I clear that up for you?”

The 31-year-old also gave a shoutout to fan site Cheesehead TV and its social media account, suggesting that maybe it should take over Green Bay’s social media department. Bakhtiari wasn’t the only one frustrated with the team’s bland schedule release video, but he was almost certainly the loudest.

An Eventful Offseason for David Bakhtiari

After finally making it back onto the field last season, Bakhtiari has had an eventful, albeit unconventional, offseason.

The star left tackle made headlines following an interview with Taylor Lewan and Will Compton on their podcast in early April. Along with saying that he’s nearing retirement and on the “back nine” of his NFL career, Bakhtiari also shared his thoughts on the next era in Green Bay, calling 2023 a “rebuild” with Jordan Love taking over for Aaron Rodgers.

The comments have led to speculation about Bakhtiari’s future in Green Bay. The Packers restructured his contract to clear cap space for 2023, and now they have a potential out after this season. According to Over the Cap, the Packers would save $21.5 million by cutting or trading the All-Pro next offseason.

It’s unclear if Bakhtiari is interested in playing beyond 2023, whether that’s in Green Bay or with a different team. However, for at least this year, the Packers will hopefully be getting one of the best left tackles in the NFL back on the field for the entirety of the 2023 season.

Who Would Be David Bakhtiari’s Successor?

In the event that the Packers and Bakhtiari part ways after the 2023 season, there are a few routes the team could go to replace their franchise left tackle.

Elgton Jenkins has been a key part of the offensive line, playing all five positions during his time in Green Bay. The former second-round pick did an admirable job filling in at left tackle for an injured Bakhtiari back in 2021, but a torn ACL of his own sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Yosh Nijman is another option for the Packers, but the former UDFA was a restricted free agent this offseason and will be on the open market for another team in 2024. If the Packers don’t have the confidence to pay him starting-caliber money, it’s likely he’ll be playing elsewhere after this season.

The Packers could also look at the 2024 NFL draft for an eventual successor, or look at an unproven young player like Zach Tom or Sean Rhyan to take over. Regardless of who takes over for Bakhtiari, they’ll have some massive shoes to fill whenever the All-Pro decides to move on.