The Green Bay Packers have announced that they will be releasing David Bakhtiari. This news was somewhat expected, given his availability and struggle to recover from a torn ACL in 2020. This is a tough decision for the Packers, but it is the right decision.
Hard Decision for the Green Bay Packers
David Bakhtiari signed a four-year 92 million dollar contract back in 2020. From 2021-2023, he only played 13 games. The Packers will save 20.95 in cap space, but Bakhtiari will still count for 19.06M in dead money.
Bakhtiari made his first All-Pro team in 2016, making the second team. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2018 and 2020. The former fourth-round pick in 2013 solidified himself as one of the best tackles the Packers have had.
Now that the Packers have cut Bakhtiari, he is free to sign anywhere and will not help the Packers towards future compensatory picks.
It is Time for Rasheed Walker
Rasheed Walker was trusted into the starting left tackle spot after Bakhtiari could only play the season’s first game. Early on, the seventh-round pick out of Penn State struggled. The Packers rotated him and Yosh Nijman as they looked for consistency on the left side of the line. Towards the end of the season, Walker was playing good football.
In the playoffs, Rasheed Walker faced a gauntlet of tough competition. The Cowboys had Micah Parsons, and the 49ers had Nick Bosa and Chase Young. Walker played 123 snaps without allowing a sack, and in 62 pass protection snaps, he only allowed three pressures.
The growth of Rasheed Walker must have given the Packers and Gutekunst confidence to move on from David Bakhtiari. Though Walker played well, the Packers have serious depth issues on the offensive line. I expect the Green Bay Packers to sign a veteran depth piece and draft a few offensive linemen.
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