Bakhtiari is currently concentrating on a 2024 return to the Packers.
The question of whether left tackle David Bakhtiari, who was recently placed on injured reserve, would miss the remainder of the regular season was posed to Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur earlier this week. Bakhtiari wanted to make his own statement to the media about the matter, which the bookend eventually did on Friday, according to LaFleur, who informed the media of this.
Bakhtiari reportedly said that playing this year “is no longer a possibility” and that his attention has since changed to the 2024 campaign, according to Kassidy Hill of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Bakhtiari, who was listed on the injured reserve last Thursday, had a scope on his knee, according to earlier information from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
A second surgery, which is anticipated to resolve the cartilage problem that has been causing Bakhtiari’s knee problems for well over a year, was preceded by the first surgery.
Additionally, Rapoport stated that Bakhtiari “does not want to retire” and that he hopes to play for the Packers in 2024.
According to Bakhtiari, who has already mentioned playing in the upcoming season, the rumors about him are accurate.
The relationship between Bakhtiari and Packers will face its biggest financial challenge.
By the end of the 2023 season, Bakhtiari will have earned $71 million of his $92 million, four-year contract extension.
Since tearing his ACL in 2020, he has only appeared in 13 games.
Bakhtiari will have a cap hit of $40.7 million for the upcoming season in order to stay on the roster, which is the highest figure in the league for a non-quarterback due to all of the salary conversions that have pushed cap hits into the future.
Due to the salary conversion accounting, if Bakhtiari is released, the Packers will be responsible for paying a minimum cap charge of $19.07 million.
In addition to that, he will also be paid a base salary, roster bonuses, and workout bonuses totaling $21.4 million. Bakhtiari is expected to receive a roster bonus worth $91.5 million in March.
Even if the Packers wanted to put the whole ordeal behind them, Bakhtiari will likely be recovering from knee surgery at that time, giving him the chance to claim the money through an injury grievance.
Bakhtiari will earn a lot of money playing football next year and have an even higher cap hit on the 2024 team because he wants to continue doing it.
For the benefit of the Packers and Bakhtiari, let’s hope he’ll be fully healthy by next season.