When the Packers placed left tackle David Bakhtiari on injured reserve last week, head coach Matt LaFleur said he would leave it to Bakhtiari to address his long-term ability to keep playing. But LaFleur has now acknowledged that it’s a concern he has.
Asked by Rich Eisen whether he thinks he’ll get Bakhtiari back and his level of concern, LaFleur said the level of concern is high because of how long Bakhtiari has been plagued by knee issues.
“I’m very concerned because this is year three of this now,” LaFleur said. “Obviously, very concerned. When he played against Chicago Week One, he was playing at an elite level with not a lot of practice. That just speaks to the kind of player that he is. He knows how to get his body and mind prepared mentally to go out there and compete at a high level. Any time you don’t have a Pro Bowler like him in the lineup, it is a concern.”
Bakhtiari tore his ACL on December 31, 2020, and knee problems have lingered for him ever since. He missed the rest of the 2020 season, played in just one game in the 2021 season, played 11 games in 2022 and has now played just once in 2023. He’s now on injured reserve, and there’s been no indication of when — or if — he’ll play again.