One of the biggest question marks for the Green Bay Packers heading into the 2023 season is if their offensive line can hold up. When healthy, that unit has the potential to be among the very best in the NFL.
The biggest x-factor among all of the offensive linemen on the Packers is left tackle David Bakhtiari. The 2013 fourth-round pick out of Colorado has been a mainstay in Green Bay at left tackle since he heard his name called that called.
In his first seven seasons in the NFL, Bakhtiari missed only six games. He made two Pro Bowl teams and was selected to be on the All-Pro Second Team three times, with one All-Pro First Team nomination as well.
Alas, the last few seasons have been derailed by injuries. Bakhtiari has missed at least four games in three straight years, including only one appearance in 2021, because of a balky knee. It is something that he and the Packers have tried to manage this offseason and thus far, the results have been excellent.
“The f—ing best camp I’ve ever had,” Bakhtiari said about this year. The Packers have him on a strict schedule that includes a lot of time off so that he isn’t putting extra wear and tear on his knee. The hope is that with enough reps to stay sharp in the summer, he will be fresher come the regular season.
“It’s a joke, people here are starting to call me … the Lamborghini — only pull him out on Sundays,” Bakhtiari said. “That’s almost what they’ve been doing with me. Just give me enough I need to get the engine running, make sure everything is fine, take her on the freeway a little bit and then put her back in the garage.”
While some people are cracking jokes at Bakhtiari’s expense, he will be getting the final laugh if he can make it through the season without any issues with his knee. However, he does admit that the plan which has been put in place is sometimes difficult to deal with.
“It f—ing sucks. I don’t enjoy doing this,” Bakhtiari said about the rest days. “I’d like to let it loose and be with the fellas constantly. It’s best for the club and myself to get me ready for game days. That supersedes what I feel that I want.”
While Bakhtiari is itching to be out there with his Packers teammates right now, he knows that the plan which has been put into place is best. While he isn’t thrilled about it, this could very well extend his career for a few years by not putting more stress on a reconstructed knee that has given him problems for three years.
