The Washington Commanders are hoping that this next chapter in their franchise’s long and storied history is a great deal more successful (and less controversial) than the previous one. Earlier this offseason, the Commanders committed to rebuilding their offense, moving on from young quarterback Sam Howell and selecting LSU’s Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
While Daniels enters a rebuilding situation in Washington (most rookies drafted early in the first round are in a similar situation), he does have the benefit of experienced, proven targets to throw to. Terry McLaurin is a Pro Bowl-caliber wide receiver with four consecutive 1,000+ yard seasons. Jahan Dotson is a former first round pick who should see a bigger role on offense with Curtis Samuel playing elsewhere.
One major question, though, is who will protect Daniels’ blindside? One of the most important things a team has to do is protect their franchise quarterback, and the Commanders are seriously lacking a talented left tackle.
Former Green Bay Packers Left Tackle David Bakhtiari Is Almost Ready to Play Again
The Commanders currently have Brandon Coleman and Corenlius Lucas are listed as the team’s top two left tackles on their depth chart. Coleman, of course, was a third-round pick in 2024 NFL Draft and Lucas is an 11-year veteran who has been a backup for the majority of his career. While Coleman could end up being a really good lineman, he has yet to prove it in the NFL.
Meanwhile, one offensive lineman who has proven to be one of the best in the business is currently a free agent. Former Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari is recovering from another knee surgery that kept him out all of last season save their Week One game. It is the same knee that, including last year, has limited him to just 13 games in the last three seasons.
While the injury history is concerning, Bakhtiari has revealed that his rehab is right on schedule and that he will be ready for training camp. What is more, he wants to play for at least a couple more years.
He does not, however, have a team yet. That being said, his recent post on social media indicates that may change very soon.
Could David Bakhtiari Be a Free Agent Target for the Washington Commanders?
Earlier today, a Chicago Bears fan (of all people) posted on X (formerly Twitter) that it was astounding to them that Bakhtiari had not been signed yet, especially given the number of teams that need a good left tackle. The five-time All-Pro responded to the post with this message:
It’s mutual. I’m waiting to make sure there’s no question marks about the knee. We are nearing the end of my rehab so things are gonna heat up on both ends in the coming 2 months. I’m excited to remind everyone again 💪🏽🦿
— David Bakhtiari (@DavidBakhtiari) June 18, 2024
Evan Winter of A to Z Sports wrote of this post:
“The Commanders could offer Bakhtiari an incentivized contract based on playing time, just like the New York Jets did with Tyron Smith, a left tackle with his own lengthy injury history. The more Bakhtiari plays, the more money he makes. It’s that simple.
“We’ll see what happens, but this is certainly a feasible pairing that can work out if both parties want it to happen.”
The only sticking point for Bakhtiari may be that he desperately wants to win a Super Bowl in the short time he has left in his career. While the Commanders are certainly poised to be better in 2024, they have a long way to go until they are championship contenders.
If Bakhtiari is indeed healthy enough to play, he will have no shortage of suitors. The Commanders may have to pay more than they think if they want to convince him to come to Washington.
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1 Comment
This will be a huge mistake for who signs him. He has not been healthy for years and when he tried to play last time he was bad and hurt again. He should have retired.