Everything is on the table for David Bakhtiari when it comes to his future with the Green Bay Packers.
After missing Weeks 2 and 3, Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve prior to the Detroit game. At the time, it was reported that he had undergone surgery, another was required, and that his 2023 season was in jeopardy.
For the first time since being placed on IR, Bakhtiari spoke with the media on Friday. He confirmed that he had knee surgery six days prior, and a more invasive one was upcoming. He also confirmed that he would not be back for the remainder of 2023.
In short, it’s not the ACL that is giving Bakhtiari issues, but rather a femoral condyle cartilage issue, which provides cushion for the knee, although it hasn’t been providing that in Bakhtiari’s case. This is something that many athletes experience but Bakhtiari, in particular, was affected more so by it, specifically with his knee swelling with fluid. In one instance, 160 ccs of liquid had to be drained.
“It’s the surface (cartilage) on my femur that is not smooth,” said Bakhtiari. “There’s a bunch of guys, I mean we play a wild sport, certain guys you hear are bone-on-bone, that’s the crazy thing, am I even bone-on-bone? They’re like no. I have most of my meniscus, it’s just the defect I have, I’m a symptomatic individual and that’s where I have just accepted.”
Following the initial ACL injury that took place on New Year’s Eve of 2020, Bakhtiari and the medical staff knew that this current outcome was a possibility–although that was not considered likely at the time.
“I’m a symptomatic individual when it comes to this specific injury,” said Bakhtiari. “We tried every which way to see, to not have to get the surgery or to make sure this really is the option we have to take the course of action to take, and that was where I kept trying to make sure I was out there to play. Then obviously we hit a point where it’s been drawing on so long that clearly we just need to fix this because I don’t think this is a very sustainable way to play to continue to the latter part of my career. No one knows when I’m going to play no one knows when I can, when my body tells me no, that’s just not a good recipe.”
But before undertaking this much more invasive approach, Bakhtiari and the medical team had to eliminate other variables, which is why he had two other scopes since the original ACL injury.
“We knew it could be a variable,” added Bakhtiari, “we just couldn’t singularly point to that variable because we had other variables in place. Can we clear out the forest and then see is this the root of the problem. And now we are at the point, where that is the root of the problem. We always knew it was there. It wasn’t like it wasn’t. That’s why I said at the beginning back to that’s what happened on New Year’s Eve.”
Bakhtiari’s goal is to return and be ready for 2024 training camp. The question, however, is will that be with the Green Bay Packers?
Bakhtiari is still under contract for one more season in 2024, but he comes with a massive $40.5 million cap hit. Even if it is the Packers intention to keep him, he isn’t going to play on his current deal—an extension would have to take place to lower the 2024 cap hit. If Green Bay were to release or trade Bakhtiari over the offseason, they would still incur a dead cap hit of $19.08 million but free up $21.5 million in savings.
“I think you can ask him (Brian Gutekunst) that,” said Bakhtiari about his future. “I know I have one more year left and I think for me, I’m just trying to make sure that I attack this rehab, get done with everything, making sure it’s behind me. I think the No. 1 thing is just proving the health. I don’t think the heart, the preparation, or skill was ever in question. It’s the availability and the health part has been the constant question for over a year. For me, if we can cure that answer, I don’t see much of a problem with anything else.”
From a financial standpoint along with the unknown around Bakhtiari’s availability, moving on in some capacity is probably the prudent move for the Packers. However, complicating matters is that Bakhtiari is still playing at a really high level at one of the game’s most important positions. Week 1 against Chicago was a prime example of this with him allowing no pressures and being on of PFF’s highest-graded performers.
While, yes, the Packers have options at offensive tackle, none of them are at Bakhtiari’s level. It goes without saying, but Green Bay will have to do its due diligence on the matter once Bakhtiari is healthy, but does his current level of play coupled with the upcoming surgery hopefully being the solution change things? That’s an answer I’m not sure anyone has at this time.
The decision on whether or not to bring Bakhtiari back for 2024 is also a two-way street—Bakhtiari has to want to return. He made it very clear when speaking with all of us that a big reason he wants to continue playing is for the chance to win a Super Bowl. So naturally, he’ll have to view the Packers as in a position to accomplish that.
For now, the first step is for Bakhtiari to have the final surgery and to get healthy from there. These decisions will come further down the road but his relationship with Brian Gutkeunst is strong and the communication lines will continue to be open. But as far as Bakhtiari’s future with the Packers goes, all options are on the table.
“I have a really good relationship with Brian,“ said Bakhtiari. “I pick up all of his FaceTimes. Whatever it’s gotta be. I’m not ignoring those sides. Do they suck? Yeah. I would love to play here until I decide that I’m done.
”I think everything is on the table like I said earlier. I can only control what I can control. I think making sure I attack the rehab, win the day, take the bites out of the elephant, finish the elephant. Then decide and see. They have decisions to make that are best for the franchise, I understand that the moment I got in here.”