David Bakhtiari is hopeful his knee issues are a thing of the past, but the Green Bay Packers are sticking with a modified practice schedule for the All-Pro left tackle during training camp.
Coach Matt LaFleur confirmed the Packers will give Bakhtiari time off as needed during training camp.
“He’ll definitely be modified, quite a bit,” LaFleur said. “It will be fluid. Just the communication with him, the medical staff, myself, the coaches. We know what type of player he is, he’s proved himself. Any time you have a veteran player with that much experience, then you’re willing to do that. You want the best for David, because when he’s out there and playing, we’re a better football team. It’s going to be fluid.”
LaFleur said the Packers have four practices this week, and he wouldn’t anticipate Bakhtiari doing much of anything during the team’s second practice on Thursday.
Bakhtiari tore his ACL and suffered other knee damage on Dec. 31, 2020, which kicked off a nightmare recovery stretch that featured three different surgeries. He finally returned last season and played in 11 games, but the knee occasionally popped up as a problem.
With a modified practice schedule, the Packers hope to keep stress off the knee and give Bakhtiari the best chance possible of playing in every game in 2023.
Per PFF, Bakhtiari gave up only 10 pressures (zero sacks) over 597 total snaps last season. He allowed one or fewer pressures in nine of 11 games.
If healthy, Bakhtiari could team up with Pro Bowler Elgton Jenkins to give the Packers the best left tackle-left guard combo in football in 2023.
The Packers open training camp with a practice at Ray Nitschke Field on Wednesday.
