This rumor is interesting. The Green Bay Packers want to upgrade at left tackle and move David Bakhtiari inside to guard.
According to Tony Pauline of Draft Insider: Packers starting left tackle David Bakhtiari is in the final year of his contract, and the belief is the team would like to move him inside to guard and upgrade the left tackle spot.
While we’d typically dismiss something like this, it does make plenty of sense.
First, it makes sense because of Bakhtiari’s play. He’s a serviceable left tackle, but not a top-tier guy.
He consistently leads the Packers in penalties and, for whatever reason, just can’t handle a bull rush at all. Now, if Bakhtiari didn’t lead the Packers in penalties — if he committed fewer — then he’d probably lead the team in sacks allowed.
You take out some holding, you give up some more sacks.
Bakhtiari’s value was inflated in 2015 because the Packers didn’t have a capable backup until they finally stumbled upon J.C. Tretter. When Bakhtiari was injured, the play of Don Barclay and Josh Sitton at left tackle only made Bakhtiari look better.
That doesn’t account for his limitations, however.
Second, it’s the contracts.
Not only is Bakhtiari going to be a free agent after the season, so are Tretter and starting guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang. The Packers simply cannot afford to pay three of these guys top dollar in addition to the ransom they’re paying right tackle Bryan Bulaga.
One, maybe two of the Packers’ 2016 starters on the offensive line won’t be around in 2017.
A contingency plan must be made.
That’s why we predicted the Packers would draft an offensive lineman early this year.
Would we be surprised if the Packers surprise everyone else and take an offensive lineman in the first round tonight?
Not at all.
As I told Shawn on the podcast this week, best player, all the way.
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Move Bakh to guard?
“We have a guy that does not handle the bull rush well. Hmmm let’s play him where he’ll be bull rushed by bigger guys!”
Unless he takes major strides either in strength or technique, the move seems nonsensical. He seemed bigger in a recent picture, but we have to see if that translates to field performance.
I think the jury is still out on whether or not Tretter could hold up at Tackle for more than a few games. I hope so, but we just haven’t seen enough. I also like the LT from Indiana somewhere in the 2nd round, but pick #55 might be too late.
^ Again, a voice of reason.
Tretter started 3 games, the Bears, Saints, and Cowboys. Hardly, shut down defenses. I agree with Ice, i’d want to see a bigger sample size.
I’d also like to think if the Packers thought that Tretter could protect Rodgers blind side better than Bak, they’d plug him in there.
Not a big fan of this way of thinking. Bahkt is a finesse guy, does not have the skills to play guard. He is a tackle. Big mistake unless they can indeed put an upgrade in. Then the packers let him go in FA where some team will give him a huge contract to play LT
Hey, we’ve never drafted a LT in the 1st round before!, what could possibly go wrong?!
(…..yes, sarcasm)