Sep 11, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers tackle David Bakhtiari (69) looks at the field during the first half of a football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
The Green Bay Packers are poised to be serious contenders in 2024, thanks to the emergence of Jordan Love as the next franchise quarterback. Having a high-level quarterback is crucial to winning in today’s NFL, but so is surrounding him with high-level talent.
Fortunately for the Packers, general manager Brian Gutekunst has had two outstanding selections in a succession. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Zach Tom, and Rasheed Walker were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft to join the offensive. All four played important roles for the squad in 2023 and are expected to be long-term starters moving forward.
Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed, Tucker Kraft, and Dontayvion Wicks were among those selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Again, all four played important roles on the offensive this season, giving fans hope that the Packers’ offense will soon return to its status as a top-five NFL force.
However, one major concern hanging over Green Bay’s offense is David Bakhtiari’s future. After only 13 games in the previous three seasons, the three-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of his deal and faces a significant salary cap hit. Because of these considerations, one team insider believes Bakhtiari will not last long in Green Bay.
In a recent mailbag article on The Athletic, Packers insider Matt Schneidman was asked if he thought Bakhtiari would return to Green Bay next season. He responded:
“No. Anything is possible, but I would be surprised if Bakhtiari returns. He’s excellent when healthy, but the Packers can’t rely on him to be consistently healthy anymore, even if all parties believe Bakhtiari’s most recent knee surgery is all he needs to be cleared. Furthermore, by releasing or moving Bakhtiari, the Packers will be able to free up a significant amount of cap room. Teams know the Packers will cut him if they are unable to deal him, therefore I expect a release, but you never know what the Jets may do for Aaron Rodgers’ close pal.”
Ever since Aaron Rodgers was dealt by the Packers to the New York Jets, there have been rumors that Bakhtiari might follow. Rodgers’ list of prospective teammates, which he denies exists, was supposed to include Bakhtiari.
As everyone is already aware, Bakhtiari has the highest salary cap hit of any player on the Packers’ roster in 2024. With a cap hit of just under $40 million, he would not be on the roster for that amount, even if Green Bay kept him. According to Schneidman, it is more likely that the team will release or move him.
If/when they do this, they will incur a dead cap hit of around $19 million, saving over $21 million in the process.
General manager Brian Gutekunest stated last week that he expects to be allowed to do pretty much whatever he wants in free agency, and releasing or moving Bakhtiari could be a big reason why.
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