Predators to sign former All-Pro for the Packers for $92 million are the Bears.
According to BetOnline, the Chicago Bears are the current favorites to sign former offensive tackle David Bakhtiari of the Green Bay Packers.
The three teams having the next greatest odds to sign the veteran OL, after the Bears, are the Dallas Cowboys (+900), Baltimore Ravens (+800), and Kansas City Chiefs (+600).
In December 2020, not long after signing a $92 million, four-year contract extension with the Packers, he tore his ACL. To put it mildly, his recuperation has been difficult and drawn out. Over the following three seasons, Bakhtiari has only appeared in 13 games (one in 2021, 11 in 2022, and one in 2023).
In Week 1 against the Bears in 2023, he played a total of 55 snaps (30 in pass protection), and he didn’t give up a single pressure. After the game, his knee became inflamed, necessitating his third knee surgery in as many years. In an attempt to save cap space this offseason, Green Bay cut him.
Bakhtiari hopes to return to action in 2024, but is the veteran offensive lineman a suitable match for the Bears?
Should the Chicago Bears Sign Former Packers Linebacker David Bakhtiari?
For several reasons, Bakhtiari seems to be a strange fit for the Bears. Chicago has good depth at left tackle, to start. Despite being only 25 years old, starter Braxton Jones has garnered a lot of confidence from general manager Ryan Poles. In addition, the Bears added veteran offensive lineman Matt Pryor this summer and selected tackle Kiran Amegadjie in the third round of the draft.
Due to his previous remarks indicating he would prefer to remain a starter, there is also a considerable doubt over Bakhtiari’s position in the starting lineup.
In June, Bakhtiari told ESPN, “My goal right now is just to make sure that I can withstand and play the game that I want to play, as well as play and be there for a team no matter what.”
“I am your cornerstone; I am not a reliever. Someone who, ideally, will continue to perform for a few more years in addition to September, December, and February.
The thought that Poles would sign Bakhtiari appears quite unlikely, given he has not demonstrated much interest in recruiting players with significant injury records who are older than thirty.