Left tackle David Bakhtiari, who has been grappling with cartilage issues following an ACL tear in 2020, is expected to be on track for a 2024 return, as reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport shared that Bakhtiari had a positive follow-up examination with Dr. Brian Cole, chairman at Rush University Medical Center and Oak Park Hospital.
Currently a free agent, Bakhtiari was released by the Green Bay Packers earlier this offseason under a failed physical designation. Prior to his release, he carried a cap hit exceeding $40 million due to the Packers converting his season salaries into signing bonuses multiple times, thus pushing cap hits forward.
The Packers had high hopes for Bakhtiari when they signed him to a four-year, $92 million contract in 2020, a deal that set a new benchmark for offensive linemen. However, his season ended prematurely due to an ACL tear late in the regular season, placing him on injured reserve.
Bakhtiari later indicated that an early surgery could have resolved his cartilage problems sooner, potentially saving him two years of recovery time. Between 2021 and 2023, he played only 13 games, frequently under restrictions such as pitch counts or rotations, and often being pulled out of games.
In 2023, after playing 55 offensive snaps in the season opener against the Chicago Bears, he missed the following game against the Atlanta Falcons and eventually decided to undergo surgery to address his knee issues definitively.
In Bakhtiari’s absence, second-year tackle Rasheed Walker secured the starting left tackle position in 2023. Walker is set to compete with first-round rookie Jordan Morgan for playing time as the Packers look beyond Bakhtiari.
