David Bakhtiari, the star left tackle for the Green Bay Packers, recently spoke about the potential transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love and defined it as a rebuilding phase. Bakhtiari noted that anytime a club transitions from a future Hall of Fame quarterback, it’s a « rebuild. » However, he also emphasized that the key is how the team and quarterback handle that shift. Bakhtiari remains one of the best left tackles in the NFL when healthy but he hasn’t played a full slate since 2019 due to injuries. He played 11 games in 2022 after just one regular-season contest in 2021.
Bakhtiari clarified that by « they, » he meant the front office, not that he’s looking at Green Bay in the rearview mirror. He also noted that while expectations outside the building might not be high, that changes nothing for the players as they prepare for the season. The real question isn’t whether the Packers are « rebuilding » with Love under center but how much they’ll slip during the transition, if at all. Some may be convinced they’ve given up their grip on the NFC North, but the front office certainly moves like it believes it can compete in a winnable division in 2023.
Bakhtiari also addressed his own future with the Packers, noting that 2024 is the year his future in Green Bay will come to a head when his cap number balloons to $40.6 million. « By the restructures that we’ve done collectively, the Packers and I, we’ve pretty much put ourselves in a predicament where it’s gonna be either cutting me or extending me, » he said. « That’s gonna be mutually decided upon, not today, not sometime in the near future. I think it’s gonna come down to, if I had to guess, as we play throughout the season, where I fit moving forward, and then also on my end where I want to be in my career and my life moving forward. »
In conclusion, the Packers are in a rebuilding phase as they transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, but the key is how the team and quarterback handle that shift. David Bakhtiari remains one of the best left tackles in the NFL when healthy, but his future with the Packers is uncertain. The real question isn’t whether the Packers are « rebuilding » with Love under center but how much they’ll slip during the transition, if at all.