The Green Bay Packers signaled the beginning of a new era last year by agreeing to a blockbuster trade to send superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.
Even though this also signaled that the team could be heading into a rebuilding phase under head coach Matt LaFleur, the Packers defied the odds during the 2023 campaign by pulling off an impressive upset in the first round of the NFL playoffs against the second-seeded Dallas Cowboys.
The Packers are looking ahead to what seems to be a promising future, but as the team looks to the future, some of the team’s best players of the recent past might not be in the team’s plans moving forward.
Apparently, veteran left tackle David Bakhtiari wasn’t in the team’s long-term plans as they released him this week, which prompted head coach Matt LaFleur to shower him with high praise by calling him one of the league’s best offensive lineman in the time he’s been coaching in the league, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
Matt LaFleur called David Bakhtiari “one of the best offensive linemen that has played in the NFL during my time in the league.”
Full statements from GM Brian Gutekunst and LaFleur on Bakhtiari’s release. pic.twitter.com/uY3kmnojnb
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) March 11, 2024
It is uncertain what Bakhtiari intends to do moving forward, as there will certainly be interest in his services if he wants to continue his playing career in the NFL.
Unfortunately for Bakhtiari, he was not with the Packers when they won the Super Bowl, so he may still have the desire to win a Vince Lombardi Trophy before he calls it a career.
During his time in Green Bay, Bakhtiari was named an All-Pro five times and was widely regarded as an elite player at his position.
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