Packers: David Bakhtiari is the best left tackle in the NFL

Green Bay Packers, David Bakhtiari (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Green Bay Packers, David Bakhtiari (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Big No. 69 out there on the left side of the line is the best at what he does in the entire National Football League. He is the best at protecting his quarterback’s blindside. He has been a cornerstone piece in the Green Bay Packers‘ offense for a long, long time. Almost a decade here pretty soon. Last season proved just how valuable David Bakhtiari is to this franchise.

For those that do not see a difference between the Pro Bowl and being an All-Pro, follow me. Bakhtiari is a prime example of why the All-Pro is superior to the Pro Bowl. First off, the Pro Bowl is a celebrity contest. It’s more about a player’s name than it is their actual performance.

A prime example is actually Bakhtiari’s teammate Preston Smith. In 2019, Smith outplayed now-Chargers OLB Khalil Mack in a lot of major categories, especially in sacks (12.0 to 8.5). But because Mack is most likely a future Hall-of-Famer, more fans voted for him.

Now with Bakhtiari, he has only been voted to the Pro Bowl three times. But he has been named an All-Pro five times. Luckily, those closest to the NFL have paid attention to Bakhtiari’s greatness. Bakhtiari is on his way to Canton, OH with his current trajectory. He is one of the great offensive linemen of this era and one of the best left tackles in NFL history.

Green Bay has badly missed the former Colorado Buffalo’s presence in the last two postseason runs. The Packers were eliminated by two great pass-rushing teams in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020) and the San Francisco 49ers (2021).

Bakhtiari missed the rest of that 2020 season with a torn ACL he suffered on New Year’s Eve. He would go on to play in just one game in 2021, which was Week 18 vs. the Detroit Lions. He would be a late scratch on the injury report vs. San Francisco. In both those playoff losses without their All-Pro LT, Green Bay would allow a combined 10 sacks. It’s safe to say that Bakhtiari has a compelling case to be called the most valuable LT in the game.

Going into his 10th career season, No. 69 has played in 119 career games. He has started every one of those. He hasn’t come off of the bench to play for an injured teammate or anything like that. When he has played, he has started. That’s pretty impressive to start your career like that and keep it going for close to a decade.

Bakhtiari is usually assigned the best edge-rusher, and he almost always wins every matchup. Either that, or the opposing defense puts their best edge-rusher on the other side to avoid Bakhtiari because they know they can’t win that matchup.

The Packers will be getting their five-time All-Pro back healthy for this upcoming season. Having him back protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blindside is going to be a welcome sight for all Packers fans.

This team is in win-now mode still. Having big No. 69 back out on that island shutting down the opposition’s best pass-rusher is great news. Mr. Rodgers will have all day to throw. Especially if the Packers draft a few more offensive linemen for depth, great days are ahead for the Green Bay O-line. Mostly because big Bak is back.

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