Big News Before Big Game

On Saturday, the Packers got some good news and some bad but hardly unexpected news concerning two important players.




The good news is that left tackle David Bakhtiari is expected to return to the starting lineup later today against Tampa Bay. The 31-year-old five-time All-Pro has played only 27 snaps since injuring his left knee in practice on Dec. 31, 2020. Bakhtiari has undergone three surgeries in the ensuing 20-plus months, the latest coming sometime in the spring. He was activated off the physically unable to perform list on August 21 and finally practiced on consecutive days late last week.

If it’s a big if, Bakhtiari can stay healthy and even come close to recapturing his past form, the Packers’ offensive line should be better than it’s been in years. Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins would arguably be the best pair of tackles in the entire National Football League, and along with the young interior of center Josh Myers and guards Jon Runyan and Royce Newman, Aaron Rodgers should have plenty of time to throw, and Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon plenty of room to run.

Of course, neither will likely be the case a few hours from now. The Bucs’ defense has been outstanding the first two games of the season, and even if Bakhtiari and Jenkins weren’t shaking off considerable rust, this would be a huge challenge.

Looking ahead, it’ll be interesting to see what the Packers decide to do with Yosh Nijman, who’s more than held his own in place of Bakhtiari the past two games. In a perfect world, the former undrafted free agent from Virginia Tech would move to right tackle, Jenkins would return to left guard where he made the Pro Bowl two years ago, and Runyan would replace Newman at right guard. But it’s more likely that Nijman will return to the bench and provide excellent depth.

The bad but not unexpected news is Sammy Watkins being placed on IR. The veteran wide receiver, who hasn’t played more than five games in a row since 2019, lasted just two in his first season with Green Bay. Watkins hurt his hammy last Sunday.

Soft tissue injuries throughout his career have plagued Watkins – something general manager Brian Gutekunst was well aware of when he chose to sign the former Bill, Ram, Chief, and Raven to a one-year contract in April. Since the deal was worth only $1.85 million, it was hard to be critical of the move. The mistake by Gutekunst was having Watkins be the only veteran added at a position that would be without first-team All-Pro Davante Adams, who was traded to Las Vegas.

With Watkins out for at least the next four games, the Packers are left with Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, and rookies Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samori Toure on the 53-man roster (Juwann Winfree was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday afternoon). That’s a far cry from a decade ago when a 28-year-old Aaron Rodgers was throwing to Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Donald Driver, and Randall Cobb in a Week 3 battle versus Seattle.

The Packers, led by the reigning MVP at quarterback, might be able to figure out ways to score enough points to win more games than they lose during Watkins’ absence, but unless either Watson or Doubs develops into a legit weapon, Gutekunst is eventually going to have to do what he should’ve done months ago – acquire a quality wide receiver, who, unlike Watkins, actually has a history of staying on the field. Of course, that would’ve been a heck of a lot easier in the spring.




In the meantime, the Packers will rely even more heavily on Jones and Dillon and hope a defense loaded with No. 1 picks and high-priced veterans can keep games close into the fourth quarter. That would allow their $50 million per year signal caller to make a big play or two to pull out a victory. This formula might not work later today against one of the best teams in the league, but fortunately, the schedule gets easier in the coming weeks (Patriots, Giants, Jets, and Commanders).

GAME PREVIEW: Packers vs. Bucs

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