Report: David Bakhtiari needs another knee surgery, is possibly out for season
David Bakhtiari, the Packers missed you so on Thursday night, as the Lions harassed Packers quarterback Jordan Love, sacking him five times.
It seemed like Aidan Hutchinson was in the backfield most every play.
And this is why the Bakhtiari news is especially important. You can’t expect this offensive left tackle to get healthy any time soon and save the Packer line. Green Bay placed Bakhtiari on injured reserve before the game started. That means he’ll miss a minimum of four games. But expect that to be more. The tackle’s stint on IR possibly could last the season.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported Friday that Baktiari had his knee scoped Wednesday. That procedure was in preparation for another surgery in two weeks.
David Bakhtiari has had issues with his knee since New Year’s Eve 2020. That’s when he suffered a significant knee injury, which required surgery. He missed all but one game in 2021, but he was able to get on the field for 11 games in 2022. An appendectomy forced him to miss games late in the season. Overall, Bakhtiari has missed 29 of a possible 54 regular-season starts since he tore his ACL.
He felt well enough to start the season opener against the Bears, playing most of the game. But he hasn’t played since then. The Packers note that the big tackle has been mostly out during practices.
In a key game Thursday against the Lions, the Packers offense struggled to handle the rush. And, they committed several procedural and holding calls. It all played a part in why Green Bay rushed for only 27 yards. Aaron Jones, who finally was cleared off the injury list, rushed only five times for 18 yards. The Lions jumped out to a 27-3 lead by halftime and won the game 34-20. The score took the Packers out of their normal offense. Love tried to pass the Packers back into the game. He was 23 of 46 for 243 yards. He threw one late touchdown pass, but also had two interceptions.
Rasheed Walker, a former Penn State standout, has stepped in for David Bakhtiari in the lineup. He’s only in his second season. The Packers selected him in the seventh round of the draft a year ago.
The Packers, now 2-2, return to action, Oct. 9, against the Raiders. That’s a Monday Night Football game, so Green Bay is getting some extra days between games.