The Green Bay Packers were blindsided at practice today when the 105 million dollar blind side protector of the likely MVP went down. Left tackle David Bakhtiari turned up on the team’s injury report after the workout, listed as limited with a knee injury.
Less than two hours later, it became an unlimited disaster.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network was the first to report that Bakhtiari suffered a torn ACL, it will require surgery and he’s lost for the remainder of the season. Several other reporters also got confirmation of the details.
The three time Pro Bowl tackle, considered one of the best in the league, signed a 4 year, 105 million dollar contract extension just a month ago and now the Packers will be forced to press on without him beginning with the Chicago Bears in Sunday’s regular season finale and then into the post season.
Bakhtiari suffered a rib injury in the Pack’s loss at Tampa Bay in October that had him miss the next three games. The juggled offensive line had Billy Turner move over to left tackle and Rick Wagner started at right tackle. The Packers went 2-1 in those three games, winning at Houston, falling to the Vikings at home and beating the 49ers in Santa Clara. The line held up well as Aaron Rodgers threw for 283, 291 and 305 yards and 11 touchdowns over those three weeks while getting sacked just twice.
This will be another challenge entirely, psychologically speaking. The team must be devastated at losing one of the most important players at perhaps the worst possible time.
The Bears are poised to clinch a playoff berth with a victory at home and their best defensive lineman, Akiem Hicks, who missed the first meeting in Green Bay, a 41-25 blowout Packer victory, is healthy for the rematch.
Fueling Chicago even more are comments Bakhtiari made to a Milwaukee radio station earlier this week in which he said in effect, “We want to beat the piss out of the Bears.”
Wagner is also dealing with a knee injury suffered against the Titans last Sunday night and was limited in practice this week. That could force the Packers to move Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins out to left tackle with Turner staying on the right side and possibly having rookie Jon Runyan step in at guard. Regardless, the team will have only one more practice to settle on a starting five.
Prior to this injury, Bakhtiari had missed only 6 games in his first six years, 2 in 2015 and 4 in 2017.
The Packer defense welcome the newest addition today as Damon “Snacks” Harrison took part in his first practice since Green Bay claimed him off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks. The ninth year veteran will wear number 98.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur called the signing “a big time pick-up.” He indicated Harrison could see playing time on Sunday. Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine was with Harrison while an assistant with the New York Jets where he started his career as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Pettine said the film from his 6 games played in Seattle this year showed he can still be disruptive in the run game and he’s looking forward to working him in with the rest of the defensive line group.
Kenny Clark met reporters after practice and wouldn’t go so far as to say the unit needed Harrison, that’s the call of General Manager Brian Gutekunst, but Clark did say he’s anxious to learn from the one time All Pro defensive tackle and he’ll help us.
