GREEN BAY, Delete. – The Green Bay Packers have lost one of the key members of their powerful attack, All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari, to what is believed to be a season ending knee injury sustained in practice on Thursday, a source told ESPN.
NFL Network reported that the injury is likely a torn ACL.
The Packers added Bakhtiari to the injury report after Thursday’s practice. During the section open to reporters, there was no apparent problem. Coach Matt LaFleur spoke before practice and will then answer questions from reporters on Friday.
The Packers (12-3), who lead the NFL with a score of 31.6 points per game, would be the NFC’s No. 1 if they win their regular season finale on Sunday in the Chicago Bears.
But now they will have to do without their best player with no skill position on offense. It comes just six weeks after they signed Bakhtiari for a record four-year, $ 103.5 million extension, making him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history.
The 29-year-old, fourth-round pick in 2013 has been either a first or second team All-Pro for the past four years. He was named a Pro Bowl starter when the selections were announced last week.
When Bakhtiari missed three games earlier this season due to broken ribs, the Packers played Billy Turner in the left tackle. Turner was a regular starter on the right, both at the guard and at the tackle.
Most recently, Turner has started with the right guard for the past four games, while Rick Wagner has started with the right tackle. However, Wagner sustained a knee injury on Sunday in the win over the Tennessee Titans and was a limited competitor in practice.
Another option would be to tackle Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins to the left. According to research from ESPN Stats & Information, Jenkins has played everywhere except the right guard this season, with 599 snaps on the left guard, 286 in the center, 31 on the right tackle and 26 on the left tackle.