Jacksonville Jaguars can still sign former All-Pro if he chooses to play this season that would immediately help QB Trevor Lawrence

Making your team better is an endless process in the NFL. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, keeping Trevor Lawrence upright and improving their running game will be vital for their success this season.  Could another legitimate move make sense for them when it comes to the offensive line?  Jags could sign veteran OT David Bakhtiari Adding […]

Adam Holt NFL News Writer
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Making your team better is an endless process in the NFL. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, keeping Trevor Lawrence upright and improving their running game will be vital for their success this season. 

Could another legitimate move make sense for them when it comes to the offensive line? 

Jags could sign veteran OT David Bakhtiari

Adding another offensive tackle to the mix for the Jags would make plenty of sense. Trevor Lawrence spent a notable amount of time a season ago running for his life due to injuries and struggles along his offensive line. 

David Bakhtiari is an older option, but he could be completely healthy after some time off. No one truly knows as of right now.

After a full season without signing with any teams, Bakhtiari's situation is still a mystery. There have been no significant updates since May 2024, when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shared that Bakhtiari “had a positive follow-up exam with expert Dr. Brian Cole, and Cole proclaimed him on schedule for a 2024 season return.” The tackle did not return, though, and did not announce his retirement either. It looks like all the doors are still open.

The Jaguars seem comfortable with Walker Little at left tackle, and that's why they traded Cam Robinson away. However, he's a good, not great player as well. Little has NFL experience playing right tackle and left guard too, which is helpful to have flexibility with Bakhtiari on the roster — and security if he gets hurt again. Making sure that Trevor Lawrence has the best chance to succeed is a top priority for the new leadership structure with general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen. — Wendell Ferreira


Before his retirement, Bakhtiari was at the top of his game and the sport. There seemed to be a new ceiling for himself as an NFL OT, but bad injury luck pushed him off the Green Bay Packers and out of the NFL recently.  

Injuries derailed the last few seasons of Bakhtiari's career, but he a great run from 2013-2020. The 2018 season was his best, earning First-Team All-Pro honors and getting recognized by PFF as the league's top graded pass blocker. Bakhtiari protected quarterback Aaron Rodgers' blindside, who threw for his second highest passing yardage total in 2018.

Nick Roesch

For the Jaguars, they're a team with division-winning aspirations this season. They made an aggressive NFL Draft move to go get Travis Hunter. They added veteran pieces along their OL already and picked up Dyami Brown and Trent Irwin at wideout. 

On defense, Jacksonville created more depth upfront and in their secondary through free agency and the NFL draft this offseason. No doubting that.

Adding a potential starter for their offensive line could still be in the cards, and they feel like one of the teams who would at least have Bakhtiari on their radar as this offseason unfolds. 

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