Aaron Rodgers expected to recruit two-time All-Pro to New York Jets this offseason

After trading for Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets didn’t get to enjoy the fairytale season everyone dreamed of. After a 7-10 season that saw Rodgers get hurt in his Jets debut, it’s easy to say last year was a disappointment, but now that the offseason is here, it’s time for general manager Joe Douglas to improve the roster.

While we never got to see the Jets’ offense at full speed, it’s clear more help is needed to boost a scoring attack that averaged 15.8 points per game. Much of those improvements could come via the 2024 NFL Draft in late April, where the Jets begin with the 10th pick in the first round. Yet, before the draft can begin, the Jets will try to solve their short-term needs in free agency, and there’s one player who could soon become available.

David Bakhtiari and Aaron Rodgers could reunite on New York Jets

Teammates for ten seasons with the Green Bay Packers, for the first time in his career, David Bakhtiari wasn’t blocking for Aaron Rodgers in 2023. That could change in 2024.

Bakhtiari’s cap hit is $40 million next season, which means he will not play for the Packers, at least not at that price. Having battled injury issues, Bakhtiari started just one game last season, 11 in 2022, and one again in 2021.

When he plays, Bakhtiari has shown he’s still a good player. His Pro Football Focus grade of 78.3 ranks 17th among tackles in 2023, albeit in a one-game sample size. But even the year prior, when he made 11 starts, Bakhtiari’s grade was even higher at 79.8, with an elite pass block grade of 87.8. In other words, Bakhtiari has value, but not at a salary of $20 million.

The Packers could cut Bakhtiari and see cap savings of $20.9 million (and a dead cap charge of $19M), and that’s what some NFL insiders are already projecting. Yet, if he’s cut, there’s no better landing spot than with the New York Jets, who have needs to fill along the offensive line too.

With free agency set to begin, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer was asked which players Jets fans should keep an eye on, and the first name he mentioned was Bakhtiari.

“The first potential target I’d keep an eye on would be Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari, if he’s released in the coming days. It’d be tough for the Jets to rely on Bakhtiari without doing more at the position, based on his injury history, but adding the tackle to the mix would be a good place to start. And then I could certainly see one of the veteran backs we mentioned earlier, or someone like the Cincinnati Bengals’ Tyler Boyd, being added to the mix as well.”
Albert Breer on New York Jets’ potential interest in David Bakhtiari

The Jets could prioritize adding an offensive tackle with the tenth pick in the draft and still sign a player like Bakhtiari. As Breer mentioned, the 32-year-old hasn’t been the most reliable in the past few seasons, and the Jets have already seen how an impact injury can derail their flight plans.