Despite playing only 13 games in the last three seasons, David Bakhtiari is confident he can continue his career for a few more years. In a recent appearance on The Adam Schefter Podcast, Bakhtiari expressed his satisfaction with his recovery from knee surgery in November and is optimistic about contributing in 2024.
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“A lot of other people wanted me to just kind of grit through it, but no one experiences what you truly experience,” Bakhtiari said (via ESPN). “Look, I’ve been gritting through it for three years. I’m in constant pain. I’m so happy now to be on the other side of it and get the actual surgery that I needed because my knee was not in a good place.”
Following a torn ACL in late 2020, Bakhtiari has undergone five knee surgeries. His most recent surgery came after playing one game with the Packers in 2023. Despite his limited availability in recent years, the free agent has garnered interest from teams this offseason. At 32 years old, he acknowledges that there are still hurdles to overcome before he can return to the field, but he anticipates signing with a team between training camp and the start of the regular season.
“My goal right now is just to make sure that I not only fully recover but I can withstand and play the game that I want to play but also play and be there for a team no matter what,” Bakhtiari said. “I’m not a reliever guy, I am your cornerstone guy. Someone that’s not only going to play in September but in December and into February and obviously hopefully for another couple of years.”
The longtime Packers lineman was released by the organization in March. In his 11 seasons with the Packers, he played in 131 games and received five consecutive All-Pro nods. However, his last three-plus seasons have been marked by injuries and absences. His 2020 season ended early due to an ACL tear, and he only played one game in 2021. He managed to play in 11 games in 2022 but underwent season-ending knee surgery after just one game in the past year.
Despite speculation linking him to the Packers and Jets, Bakhtiari mentioned on the podcast that he is not likely to join either team. He specifically pointed to the Jets’ acquisitions of veterans Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses as well as first-round rookie Olu Fashanu.