Packers are one step closer to the Super Bowl after Sunday's announcement
The Green Bay Packers have awaited the return of All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari pretty much since 2021 started. And we're talking calendar year, not the start of the 2021 NFL season. In other words: it's been a long time. Bakhtiari tore his ACL on New Year's Eve in 2020 and proceeded to miss the […]
The Green Bay Packers have awaited the return of All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari pretty much since 2021 started.
And we're talking calendar year, not the start of the 2021 NFL season.
In other words: it's been a long time.
Bakhtiari tore his ACL on New Year's Eve in 2020 and proceeded to miss the entire 2021 season, minus the first half of the matchup with the Detroit Lions in the season finale. Bakhtiari's 27 snaps in those 30 minutes are the only football he's played since the injury.
It's been a complicated recovery, recently highlighted by Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst's revelation that Bakhtiari had another procedure earlier in the year.
But, on Sunday, the Packers got one step closer to the Super Bowl when they announced Bakhtiari's return to practice. The team removed him from the PUP list, which clears him to begin the ramp-up process.
"Dave's coming off PUP today. He'll be out there in practice," head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Sunday. "He's only going to do individual [drills], so you guys can just temper the expectations because I know there is going to be a bunch of questions, now.
"It'll just be individual. It's just the next step, but we are excited to get him out there on the grass. We'll take it one day at a time."
The hope is he'll eventually be ready to play pretty sooner than later, but as LaFleur notes, there is still a good ways to go before he's ready for NFL action.
"There's no thought as far as Week 1 right now," said LaFleur. "It's more just we want to see how he responds, and he's ready when he's ready."
Yes, Bakhtiari's return is that important when it comes to the Packers' Super Bowl aspirations. He was widely considered to be the NFL's best left tackle before his injury. Whether or not he resumes that level play after missing so much time remains to be seen, but the Packers offensive line -which is currently a question mark- will receive a big boost if Bakhtiari is even 75% of the player he was.
"Their experience kinda speaks for itself," LaFleur said regarding the official return of both Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins. "I do think there's going to be a ton of benefit to wehn we can get them out there," said LaFleur. "… It definitely makes it a lot easier from a game plan purpose."
And while it's unknown as to when Bakhtiari actually returns, it's clear the Packers think he can return before Week 7. The NFL's PUP rules say a player can now return after Week 4. Players then have a 21-day window to be cleared for game day.
The Packers would've kept Bakhtiari on the PUP in order to save a roster spot if they thought he would miss that much time, so it's encouraging to see that Bakhtiari is progressing to the point where he won't miss that much time.
"He's been making really good progress and I think mentally he's in a very good place, as well," said LaFleur. "He's worked his tail off for a long time, now, to get to this point.
"So, as far as making the decision – I just got a text a little bit ago saying he's coming off [and] I'm pretty excited about that."
You watch LaFleur's entire presser, below:
Featured image via Samantha Madar/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis.
