Packers 2021 roster preview: When will David Bakhtiari play?

David Bakhtiari has been a star for the Green Bay Packers just about every year since he was drafted in 2013.

Bakhtiari has started 118 games for the Packers since then and rarely misses time. However, his recovery from a torn ACL will determine how quickly he can return. We hope it’s in time for the regular-season opener in September.

Whenever Bakhtiari is ready to return, he’ll be one of the most important players on the roster as he always is.

2020 review

As ever, Bakhtiari was dominant on the left side of the Packers’ offensive line.

According to ESPN, he ranked in the top 10 among tackles for both pass block win rate and run block win rate, proving why he’s one of the best at his position.

Bakhtiari has now been named an All-Pro each year for half a decade, and he also earned his third Pro Bowl selection in 2020. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just one sack on 420 pass-blocking snaps last season.

Bakhtiari’s season was cut short as he tore his ACL at the end of December, keeping him out of the playoffs. The Packers missed him badly in the NFC Championship Game defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Will he make the roster?

Injury could keep Bakhtiari out of the initial 53-man roster but it’ll only be a matter of time until he’s activated and back in the lineup. When healthy, he’ll be one of the first names in the starting lineup.

What to expect in 2021

It’s all down to Bakhtiari’s recovery from injury. While the signs have been encouraging to this point, it remains up in the air whether he’ll be at full strength in time for Week 1. If not, the Packers will have to reshuffle the line temporarily, potentially moving Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins to left tackle.

But whenever Bakhtiari returns, there’s no reason why he can’t still be one of the best pass-protectors in football.