The Jordan Love era has gotten off to a fairly strong start, with the Green Bay Packers sitting at 2-1 heading into an important inner-divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. While the first three games have been mostly a success, the next four games could prove more challenging, especially knowing that starting left tackle David Bakhtiari won’t be available.
On Thursday, Bakhtiari was added to injured reserve, which means he’s set to miss at least the next four Packers games, if not longer. For now, the two-time All-Pro is set to miss Weeks 4-7, but as NFL insider Ian Rapoport indicates, there’s no telling whether Bakhtiari will be able to return to action later this season either.
Bakhtiari has played just one game so far this season, suiting up for the Packers’ season opener, which delivered a 38-20 win over the Chicago Bears. He played 55 snaps, or 92 percent of the team’s offensive plays.
Unfortunately, Bakhtiari’s knee issues are not new. While he managed to start 11 games last season after playing just one game in 2021, Bakhtiari has been battling injuries for several years now after tearing his ACL in December of 2020.
But Bakhtiari said back in June that his knee feels “very strong” heading into the year, meaning he felt his injuries were behind him as he entered his 11th NFL season. As a three-time Pro Bowl tackle, it’s safe to say the Packers are a better team when Bakhtiari is in the lineup.
Rasheed Walker and Yosh Nijman have handled left tackle duties in Bakhtiari’s absence, with Zach Tom manning the right tackle position. Walker is expected to continue protecting Love’s blindside until Bakhtiari can make a safe return to the field.
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