The last few seasons have been difficult for Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari. He has battled a knee ailment that has continually knocked him out of the lineup. After missing only six games in his first seven seasons in the NFL, Bakhtiari has missed at least four in each of the last three. That includes 2021, in which he missed all but one game because of his balky knee.
Looking to change that, the Packers put Bakhtiari on a new schedule this offseason. A lot of off days were scheduled hoping to keep him fresh for the regular season. It was something that the All-Pro wasn’t thrilled about, as he wanted to be on the field with his teammates. But, even he knew this was for the best.
His most recent stretch of time off raised some doubts about his Week 1 availability. Bakhtiari hasn’t practiced since August 30th, but Packers head coach Matt LaFleur wasn’t concerned about whether he would be out there or not.
“He’s a guy who has banked a ton of reps,” LaFleur said. “He feels good physically and so we anticipate him out there on Sunday.”
That is the sentiment that Bakhtiari shared as well. Despite missing more than a week of practice, when asked if he was expected to play, Bakhtiari responded, “That’s the plan.”
LaFleur has admitted that this situation is fluid, as they will adjust the plan accordingly. Bakhtiari has a ton of experience, so he believes taking part in a few walkthroughs will be enough for him to feel ready to go on game day.
“Practice is important, but not everyone needs practice,” Bakhtiari said.
The scheduled days off are all part of the load management that the Packers are using with Bakhtiari. They do not want to add any more unnecessary wear and tear to his body and they are hoping the added days off will help in that regard.
