The Green Bay Packers have a tough decision to make with former All-Pro tackle David Bakhtiari, but regardless of what happens this offseason, general manager Brian Gutekunst could find an eventual successor at left tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bakhtiari has had a long road to recovery from his torn ACL, but suffered yet another injury that has caused him to miss some time after undergoing an appendectomy. Although he has played at a high level when on the field, Bakhtiari’s struggles to play consistently could lead to some tough decisions this offseason or in the near future.
In case the Packers decide to move on from Bakhtiari in the coming years, Jack Borowsky with SI.com suggested a solution for the franchise in his latest 2023 NFL mock draft, having the team take Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round.
“With the top pass rushers off the board, the Packers could look to add help along the offensive line,” Borowsky said. “Johnson Jr. can play tackle and guard, which would be very valuable to a Packer team that is always decimated by injuries up front. He could be the eventual replacement for Bakhtiari while starting at guard as a rookie.”
Could the Packers Move On From Bakhtiari?
There’s still time before the Packers have to make any decisions about personnel, but once the offseason hits, Gutekunst will have to decide which players the team needs to part ways with or restructure their contracts in order to stay under the salary cap.
After signing a record-breaking contract extension in November 2020, Bakhtiari suffered a torn ACL in practice a month later just before the team’s playoff run. Although it’s been nearly two years since the injury, Bakhtiari continues to show up on the weekly injury reports due to complications with his knee.
It’s unclear if Bakhtiari’s knee will be an issue for the rest of his career, making it a difficult decision for Gutekunst this offseason. The Packers could try to move on from Bakhtiari in order to clear some cap space, but they would be walking away from one of the best tackles in football when healthy. According to Pro Football Focus, Bakhtiari is the eight-best tackle in football this season with an 82.1 overall grade despite dealing with his knee injury throughout the year.
Gutekunst even admitted that it will be a difficult decision this offseason, stating that “left tackles don’t grow on trees” in his press conference during the team’s bye week. Regardless of what the team is thinking, having an insurance policy like Paris Johnson Jr. is always a good idea in case something goes wrong.
Who Will Green Bay’s Left Tackle Be Protecting in 2023?
As much uncertainty as there is with Bakhtiari’s future, there’s even more with the quarterback position in Green Bay.
Aaron Rodgers is showing some signs of regression, and will be 40 years old by the end of the 2023 season. Although he hasn’t made any public decisions about his future, the back-to-back MVP has hinted that the emergence of rookie Christian Watson could convince him to stay at least another year now that he has another explosive playmaker to throw to.
That leaves Jordan Love in a difficult situation. The former first-round pick has been patiently waiting for his chance to be the starter in Green Bay, but Love is reportedly considering a trade request if Rodgers returns in 2023.
A lot could happen between now and Week 1 of the 2023 season, but Packers fans are anxiously waiting for some answers as to what will happen at quarterback next year.
Packers Linked to Eventual David Bakhtiari Replacement