By Adam Roberts – 1/1/2021
As far as unfortunate injuries go for the Packers, David Bakhtiari seems to suffer them more than nearly any other Packer.
The Pro Bowl left tackle reportedly tore his ACL at practice yesterday, ending his year right as Green Bay is preparing for a playoff push. The team has some practice filling Bakhtiari’s role, with Billy Turner and Rick Wagner taking turns at the left tackle spot in the past. However, Wagner was limited at practice yesterday with his own knee injury problems.
As for the severity of the injury, anything ACL related normally ends the year on the spot, but we should get more specifics when head coach Matt LaFleur speaks with reporters later today. The injury comes just six weeks after Green Bay signed Bakhtiari to a record-setting, four-year, $103.5 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.
Green Bay faces Chicago on Sunday with a lot at stake. If the Packers win, they’ll clinch the #1 seed in the NFC. If Chicago wins and Arizona loses to the Rams this weekend, the Bears will get in.