The Green Bay Packer have not been off to the best of starts to begin the 2022-23 season. After improving to 3-1 following an OT win over the New England Patriots, Aaron Rodgers and company have dropped their past three games, the most recent of which was a regrettable two-point loss against the Washington Commanders.
Nonetheless, offensive line reinforcements could be on the way, which should be a good sign for a team with lofty ambitions of competing for a Super Bowl a season after finishing on top of the NFC North with a 13-4 record.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee show, Aaron Rodgers suggested that a return for Packers offensive line fixture David Bakhtiari against the Buffalo Bills could be on the horizon after the offensive tackle was ruled out a mere hour and a half before gametime.
“I found out 90 minutes before the game. I was disappointed… for him mostly, because I know just how much he cares about [everything] and what he's been through. I'll let him speak for himself, but I feel like, I wanna manifest him coming back and playing this weekend, I feel like that's a real possibility,” Rodgers said.
In fact, the 38-year old quarterback didn't even think that Bakhtiari would miss their clash against the Commanders.
“I didn't know until 90 minutes before… I didn't know until they put the inactives [list] in. I knew he was going through some things but I thought he was gonna play. And then what happened to the tests, and couldn't get it done in pregame so they put him down. So I found out too just when everybody else found out,” Rodgers added.
However, it'd be shrewd for everybody if Bakhtiari didn't rush anything in his bid to return to the field, especially when he's undergone three knee surgeries following a Torn ACL in December 2020. The three-time Pro Bowler missed significant time due to this injury, playing only one game in 2021-22, and he was inactive during the Packers' 10-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round last season.
Nevertheless, Aaron Rodgers knows that Bakhtiari's well-being is in good hands as he recovers from recurring knee problems.
“Obviously we want [him] to be healthy. Nobody takes care of himself quite like Dave. He's got a lot of people taking care of him around the clock besides his amazing pregnant wife, Frankie,” Rodgers said.
Going against the 5-1 Bills on the road, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers need every bit of help they can get, and David Bakhtiari's eventual return should prove immense.