The Green Bay Packers will limit the practice time for left tackle David Bakhtiari even once he makes his long-awaited return to the playing field at some point this season.
Coach Matt LaFleur said Bakhtiari will be on a “day on, day off” practice schedule and won’t practice three days in a row, even once he’s back in the starting lineup.
LaFleur also calmed some concerns that Bakhtiari had a setback on Wednesday.
“He had a good practice,” LaFleur said.
The limited practice time is now part of the team’s process and plan for maintaining Bakhtiari’s surgically-repaired knee.
“He will not practice, even once he’s fully back, in terms of in the lineup, he won’t practice three days in a row. It’ll be a day on, a day off, a day on,” LaFleur said.
Bakhtiari tore his ACL and suffered other damage to his left knee on Dec. 31, 2020. He’s since endured a nightmare rehabilitation process that’s included two other surgeries.
The Packers took him off the PUP list in August but he was inactive for Week 1.
Will limiting practice time keep Bakhtiari from another setback and elongate what’s left of his football career?
LaFleur said Bakhtiari’s experience as a player – he’s a five-time All-Pro who has played 119 career games – gives the team confidence that he can handle a limited practice schedule and still play at a high level.
“There’s not many people who can have a schedule like that, but we do believe, as an organization, that he’s one of those guys,” LaFleur said.
Bakhtiari was listed as limited during Wednesday practice and will likely be out Thursday, and his status for Sunday’s Week 2 matchup with the Bears is unknown.
Yosh Nijman, who started eight games at left tackle last season and the season opener in Minnesota last Sunday, would be the starter again on Aaron Rodgers’ blindside if Bakhtiari can’t play in the home opener.
