Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn’t expect left tackle David Bakhtiari to return this week, although he didn’t rule it out completely, either.
“I don’t think he’s coming back this week,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “But you never know.”
Bakhtiari is still working his way back from an ACL injury he suffered at the end of last season. The All-Pro left tackle was activated from the PUP list on November 10 but ended up having another procedure to help heal his injured knee. On Monday, head coach Matt LaFleur said there is a chance Bakhtiari could return to practice this week. However, Green Bay will likely give him more time to recover.
The Packers can obviously afford to rest Bakhtiari another week if needed. On Sunday, they will take on a struggling Chicago Bears team, who have lost six out of their last seven games. The Bears will be without their premier pass rusher Khalil Mack, who was shut down for the rest of the season with a foot injury.
The Bears sacked Rodgers a season-high three times back in Week 6, but that was with Mack in the lineup. Elgton Jenkins started that game at left tackle, but an ACL injury has since sidelined him for the rest of 2021. The expectation is for third-stringer Yosh Nijman to start at left tackle if Bakhtiari doesn’t return. Nijman has played well in four starts this season.
At some point, the Packers may not only get Bakhtiari back in their lineup but also Za’Darius Smith and Jaire Alexander. Ideally, all three would return before the playoffs.
“Potentially. Certainly, we hope so.” LaFleur said. Those guys, again, are doing everything in their power, but we’ll see where we’re at on Wednesday.”
[listicle id=72466]