Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy all but came out and said the exact words: David Bakhtiari is our left tackle.
Bakhtiari stepped into the starting role for the Packers as a rookie after Bryan Bulaga suffered a knee injury in the preseason. He started all 16 games and accounted for himself very well.
Bulaga will return in 2014 and will be looking to get back in the staring lineup. That will most likely be at right tackle. McCarthy told Bob McGinn that’s a conversation he needs to have with Bulaga.
“I liked the relationship between David and [left guard] Josh [Sitton], and to me it’s more about the combination over there,” said McCarthy. “They work well together. They’re both wired mentally.
“David’s young and raw, and he’s got a lot to learn. The game comes very easily to Josh now.”
So part of the reason for Bakhtiari staying at left tackle is that he plays well with — and can learn from — Sitton. Obviously, the other part is he’s just good.
During the 2013 season, you hardly heard Bakhtiari’s name mentioned during games. When you’re a left tackle, that’s a good thing. It means you’re not getting beat.
Speaking of getting beat, McCarthy was asked about one of the Packers’ other tackles as well — free agent Marshall Newhouse.
Asked if he would be back, McCarthy gave this ringing endorsement.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said.
In other words, rejoice! The Marshall Newhouse era in Green Bay is about to be O-V-E-R!
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He’s a little stiff & rigid in his drops & slides but is light enough on his feet that he’s still effective. He can be beaten to the edge because of that stiffness, but he does enough with his hands to help mask some of his deficiencies athletically.
The stiffness & rigid movements Bak shows in his small, confined area in pass protection are much more noticeable in the run game. He shows a great understanding of leverage in getting underneath the pads of defenders, but he will look lost at times when trying to get to the second level or in space.
Peppers blew by him on that 4th & 8 hail mary to Cobb. That was almost a sh*tty ending because of a missed assignment by Bak.
Bak’s rookie season was a pleasant surprise. Took him in the 4th round…didn’t expect him to start right away or maybe even make the team. An injury to Bulaga on fricken family night about made me panic. While he’s still a work in progress, the Pack have to feel good about what they saw from him last season.
Haven’t analyzed Bak-T’s play enough to comment on his stiffness, I’ll take you at that. I have noticed he occassionally gets beat deep on run plays, forcing the RB to cut upfield on outside runs, and that he also gets pushed deep in the pocket before he’s able to anchor and old, not sure if thats a sign of stiffness or lightness or smaller arms. What Ive noticed is that he doesn’t usually allow his man to beat him all the way around the edge and get a blind shot on the QB when he is beaten, instead i’ve noticed he overcorrects and forces his guy back inside, which does allow the defender to get to the QB quicker but I believe also allows the QB a chance to spot him and either avoid the hit altogether (which would essentially then send the defenseman out of the play as a result of his momentum and trajectory), or protect the ball and himself better than if he were blind-sided.
I recommend you rewatch the play vs. Duh Bares (if for no other reason than the shit-eaten grin you’ll be wearing after Buck screams “Cobb! Touchdown!!)-he wasn’t beaten by Salt ‘N’ Peppers, the Bears moved a DB inside just before the snap-blitzing 7 defenders-Bak-T made an adjustment and picked up the inside man/closest to the QB as one is supposed to do, leaving the free man for another blocker-Kuhn-or the QB to deal with, whether by sidestepping him or
disposing the ball quickly. The first two things happened in what was essentially perfect execution by the Packers on the play.
*hold
I’m fine with that. He’s only going to get better/stronger there. If BB could stay healthy at RT, i like our line. Just imagine if we could get a good backup out of Sherrod…
So Bulaga at RT and Barclay and Sherrod duking out for the #1 backup, I can dig it. Wonder if Barclay will see more cross-training at C this offseason…
What are you talking about? I witnessed Bakhtiari getting beat, consistently throughout the year. He ranked in the bottom half of left tackles in sacks given up and hits allowed. But, I guess anyone is good compared to Newhouse.
No Matter – it is probably Bakhtiari and Sitton’s turn to have ACL injuries during camp, so Bulaga will be able to stay at Left Tackle for the 2014 campaign…
Pat, he played very well for a rookie. Lot’s of upside. Just watch th egames andf stop trying to analyze. You’re not good at it
the top injury coach in the NFL will screw it up somehow
what are you talking about?????? Look at the facts
Can we now officially call the Packers 2011 first-round pick a bust? Prototype size, draft pedigree, but soft as tapioca, Sherrod will be backing up Bulaga and Barclay. Congrats to Bakhtiari, he earned it.
Did you see his injury?
After having his leg snapped like a twig during an otherwise nondescript play, just the fact that he is back out there means he is far from “soft.”